Duncan,
Good post, thanks.
You are quite right that we often describe morality as simply a set of socially acceptable rules of behavior. Unfortunately taking such view limits us in terms of understanding universal morality. Religious groups tend to condemn homosexuality as immoral, and while there may be millions of religious followers who adopt that view, millions of rational thinkers will deem such view as immoral. So, how do we know which morals one should adopt? I try to adopt the normative account of morality, where morality is primarily concerned with avoiding and preventing harm.
By that logic, I think it is immoral to condemn homosexuality as immoral (avoiding harm) and feel the obligation to discuss this issue (preventing harm) should it come up in a conversation with a person of such strong religious beliefs. Because the view that homosexuality is immoral harms homosexuals in limiting their freedom. Do you agree with me?
File sharing is not the same as homophobia or slavery.
Saying I cause a musician "harm" by file sharing is crap. It's more like if I drive
slow to save myself money and by doing that causes you to be late for work or
not be able to do as many runs as you could if you're a delivery driver.
I should be able to play an album at a high school dance or share my music with
my friends. It wasn't until the record industry got pissy and got a lot of money
in advertising and lawyers to force the US government to say it was wrong.
The bands that are doing good are the ones that tour and use their recorded
music as a way to get people to their concerts. It used to be that a band would
make most their money from record sales, and they frequently lost in concerts.
Then they started to sell their own t-shirts at astronomical prices. They used
to charge $15 for a ticket, now it's over $100 for a decent seat.
Like rewoga said, sharing music will in the long run benefit bands and musicians.
They may not benefit the record execs, but at the commissions they've been
charging artists, it brings them to a more "moral" level.
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"i surf because, i"m always a better person when i come in"-Andy Irons
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