People Are Pirating Ayn Rand's Works!

[exaltron]

The MPAA and the RIAA have spent years and millions if not billions trying to stop piracy. I don't think there is anything that can be done about it. Ayn Rand's works are also on http://thepiratebay.org/ and also on any number of other torrent trackers. A quick search there shows perhaps maybe 100-200 people downloading various Ayn Rand works. This is unfortunate, that ARI will not get a single dime, but the fact that some people are interested at all is probably a good thing. Perhaps they will buy real copies when they realize how wrong this is. Perhaps they will buy every Objectivist book they can get their hands on!

I agree, if people are going to pirate something, let them pirate something that might have a chance of convincing them of how misguided their approach to happiness is. Better they read Atlas Shrugged and see themselves for the moochers they are, than pirate the Queen box set and congratulate themselves on their excellent taste and dedication to great music.

I guess I have a slightly better attitude about this recently. A friend of mine who for years has been downloading music unethically/illegally on limewire has finally come around to the error of her ways. I have tried several times to make her understand how destructive her actions were, but apparently it took reading a book called The Cheating Culture (you can read the TOC and the first chapter on the site), to persuade her to stop. I think she is actually going to delete all the content she downloaded that she didn't pay for. Even better, we had a great conversation about morality, integrity, "living one's philosophy" and why people are more concerned with what they can get away with than with making the kind of ethical choices that will actually support a healthy sense of self-esteem (the relationship between altruism and second-handed ethics).

Coincidentally I was listening to a Peikoff podcast this week where he indicates he doesn't believe people can change their viewpoints later in life- had to laugh at that..

[Grames]

Coincidentally I was listening to a Peikoff podcast this week where he indicates he doesn't believe people can change their viewpoints later in life- had to laugh at that..

"Later in life" referring to age at which professors gain tenure. That would not be your age, sonny.

(edit- er maybe I'm wrong, your photo doesn't make you look 36. At what age to people get tenure?)

Edited March 18, 2009 by Grames

[exaltron]

"Later in life" referring to age at which professors gain tenure. That would not be your age, sonny.

(edit- er maybe I'm wrong, your photo doesn't make you look 36. At what age to people get tenure?)

Hmm, not sure old man (I'm assuming you're over the hill if you're calling me sonny ). Seriously, I'm flattered that you think I look younger (of course, you haven't seen my rapidly encroaching bald spot).

Peikoff actually put the drop off age for premise-checking between 23 and 27 IIRC. I believe he intimated that people after that age generally lose interest in ideas or they hew to a certain dogma (same thing?). I know from experience on OO not to attribute anything to any well-known Objectivist uncited, so I'll see if I can find that podcast on my iPhone and post a link..

[DavidV]

Especially with reference to written works, as contrasted with spoken ones, I agree. I have often wondered whether piracy plays a role in the tendency for Objectivist thinkers to produce audio works.

Are you suggesting that audio recordings are more difficult to pirate? Because it's actually much easier to copy an audio work than to digitize a book.

[IchorFigure]

I don't know who on earth would rather read hundreds and hundreds of pages of her work from the awkwardness of their PC, especially when her books are so cheap. That being said I don't agree with it, but you've got to admit it's darned impractical.

[Jill]

That quote is from Francisco's childhood. Francisco inherited D'Anconia Copper (which provided an income) because he proved that he had become a D'Anconia.

I assumed he had proved he had become a D'Anconia by producing.

[Greebo]

I assumed he had proved he had become a D'Anconia by producing.

How he proved himself is not relevant to the question of whether living (in whole or in part) off of an inherited asset is in keeping with objectivist principles.

Why do you suspect that living (in whole or in part) off of an inherited asset is contra-objectivist? Does the source of the wealth matter? If I inherit a million dollars and dedicate myself to living a life of reason in pursuit of my values, is that different than if I earn a million dollars by living a life of reason in pursuit of my values?

If I inherit a million dollars and deny reality and violate others rights, is that different than if I *earn* a million dollars by denying reality and violating others rights?

[Chops]

I don't know who on earth would rather read hundreds and hundreds of pages of her work from the awkwardness of their PC, especially when her books are so cheap. That being said I don't agree with it, but you've got to admit it's darned impractical.

I couldn't agree more. The only reason I could imagine someone wanting this is for a searchable collection, like the Objectivism Research CD. Even printing it out, it would still be more expensive in printer paper than to buy a used copy for $3. And reading thousands of pages on-screen would be a painful experience indeed.

I can understand students' desire to pirate $100 text books, but to pirate a paper-back, it just seems like a complete waste of time.

As for the piracy thing in general, many (if not most) of the torrent/piracy sites like that are hosted in countries that have weaker IP laws. Recently, there was a 2-week-long trial over The Pirate Bay, for which the verdict will be delivered in a month.

[FrolicsomeQuipster]

That tells us something about ideological marketing.

You can get a Koran for free but people are willing to steal to get Atlas Shrugged.

[West]

I assumed he had proved he had become a D'Anconia by producing.

I find your approach rather ridiculous. Is your contention that Peikoff is not productive and therefore does not deserve the proceeds from his inherited wealth?

[Juxtys]

That tells us something about ideological marketing.

You can get a Koran for free but people are willing to steal to get Atlas Shrugged.

I spilt my tea while reading this. And what's my opinion? Well, the more people get to read Rand, the better. And they will buy her books after reading a few pages and reading them. At least I think so. Also, I've found a complete text of "Anthem" somewhere on thge net in html. Seemed pretty weird.

[DavidOdden]

At what age to people get tenure?)

Anywhere from age 25 to death.

I have to disagree with him, since I enaged in a major philosophical overhaul in my upper-mid 40's, after The Final Promotion. But it probably is rare, and correlates with the "Yeah, whatcha gonna do about it?" realization.