Moral Dilemma, illegal mp3s

Ethics
1

I just finished reading the Prudent Predator Principle thread. While I have not downloaded any illegal mp3s or software since finishing Atlas Shrugged, I have in the past. So much in fact, that the amount to purcahse the movies, music, and software legally would be well beyond my means to afford.

What should I do with all this stuff?

I have a feeling (bad word, sorry) I should delete it, but I have serious reservations about actually pressing the button, because I depend on some of the software for my work/school studies (namely, Photoshop and AutoCAD, and thats $1000 worth of software right there). Is it acceptable to continue to use the software after the damage is done? There would be no way I could afford a replacement copy for a number of years.

What about artists who are dead? Surely Jimi Hendrix doesn’t benefit any longer from me buying his music.

What about TV shows? I can turn on the TV any time and watch them (assuming I have cable or satellite), can I morally download them and watch them when I please instead?

Would it be morally acceptable to phase out the illegal files by not downloading more and replacing them with legal versions as my means allow instead of deleting them all at once?

Please note that I have accepted that downloading illegally is immoral, and I feel guilty about my past actions, but I’m looking for specific answers to the above questions.

Thanks for your help.

2

So much in fact, that the amount to purcahse the movies, music, and software legally would be well beyond my means to afford.

This is largely irrelevent, the damage of depriving someone of their profit has been done no matter how much you have stolen.

What should I do with all this stuff

Make a list of everything you have pirated and prepare to purchase copies of that work some point down the line when you are able to.

I have a feeling (bad word, sorry) I should delete it, but I have serious reservations about actually pressing the button, because I depend on some of the software for my work/school studies (namely, Photoshop and AutoCAD, and thats $1000 worth of software right there). Is it acceptable to continue to use the software after the damage is done? There would be no way I could afford a replacement copy for a number of years.

Its not as if you really have a choice in this matter, from what you have said here, it sounds like you depend on that software. If you have a job on the side, I would recomend that you start saving money to eventually legally purchase that software.

What about artists who are dead? Surely Jimi Hendrix doesn’t benefit any longer from me buying his music.

Eh, someone is still distributing his music and is entitled to profit from it.

What about TV shows? I can turn on the TV any time and watch them (assuming I have cable or satellite), can I morally download them and watch them when I please instead?

No, thats like asking “can I download music since I can hear them on the radio at any time?” There are legal ways to download tv show shows (iTunes music store being the #1 way at the moment in my opinion) but what about a show like “The Soprano’s” which is on HBO? Or something like The Office from BBC?

Would it be morally acceptable to phase out the illegal files by not downloading more and replacing them with legal versions as my means allow instead of deleting them all at once?

In your case it sounds like it would be more practical, the correct thing to do would be to delet everything that was pirated but as you have already stated, its not within your means to do that since your school work depends on it. If making ammends for your past misdeeds is important to you, then some process of deleting the pirated goods needs to be started.

You could probably get away with this, its not as if there is a Satan waiting to stick hot pokers into you when you die because of this. Whats important is whether you want to fix the damage you have done.

3

Is it acceptable to continue to use the software after the damage is done? There would be no way I could afford a replacement copy for a number of years.

In Objectivism, morality is focussed around you, not other people. The “damage” is actively being done by obtaining a value through fraud–to yourself. I think keeping the software would be violating the same principle.

Yes, Jimi Hendrix does not care about whether you download his music, but I’m sure all the other people involved in its creation and distribution, including the owners and producers, do care. The music is still property of someone.

For TV shows, you can record them with a DVR or get a TV Tuner for your computer and save them to your hard drive.

When I grasped intellectual property, I deleted everything I had stolen. I did not go out and attempt to buy it all back. I bought things I was going to use, but some things I just went without. It’s not like there is some way to have your sins forgiven, you just go on and live a moral life in order to achieve happiness from here on out.

4

There’s already a gargantuan thread about illegal downloading. Let’s keep the discussion going over there. Also, please read the earlier parts of that thread to see if any questions have already been addressed/points have already been made.

[Edit: Here’s a link to that thread. Hint: It was on the same page in the ethics subforum as this thread.]