Came across this latest excuse for why it's okay to rip off artists. Usually it starts with the fact that the music industry is corrupt, lack of choice, blah blah blah. Here it is:
Absolutely zero of it has to do with my wanting to make sure my downloads are "legal" - In time, digital transmission of data won't have to worry about legal or illegal where media is concerned (for consumption, not the theft of source material). And I couldn't give a *** less about "making sure the artist gets paid" - the artist gets paid with my attention; a commodity worth FAR more than dollars and cents. They own my cognizance for a while... That's invaluable, especially when the result is that I pay to attend their concert and pay for a shirt or a hat (or both) with their name on it, because then they get not only my time and attention but my money as well.
First, Joe is a bit more thoughtful in his earlier post on the topic of music. Still wrong, but more thoughtful. And as he notes, he's living (at least in some way) his own words, because he's giving away some of the fruit of his own creative process.
But still. "gets paid w/ my attention?" I'll be sure and try that next time I'm at the grocery store, at the farmer's market or paying my utility bill.