Downloading mp3s....

djj6835 · #1 07-25-2005, 01:45 PM

Inspired by the recent "Is this unethical.." post, I wanted to ask you guys a question

I actively download mp3s, but In my case I don't see it as stealing. Before I had the ability to download music I literally never purchased CDs. I was just tired of buying entire albums with one good song along with a bunch of filler. Now that I can download music I am able to preview entire CDs and then if I like it I will go out and purchase it. This is why I am now getting very frustrated at the current legal battle against downloading music. It's just kind of annoying to hear artists complain about mp3s knowing that in my case, the only way they will get any of my money is if I have the ability to download their music. In the back of my mind I just feel that the real reason artists are so upset over this whole p2p thing is that they actually need to have more than a couple good songs to sell an album. In a sense it is forcing people to put out higher quality music. Does anyone else use the ability to download music for the same reasons? If so, do you also feel the same way regarding atists complaints about p2p networks?

swede123 · #2 07-25-2005, 01:54 PM

Back in some ethics class I took we learned about a list of tests that you can run by a situation to see if it's ethical, things like the "light of day" test - would you do the same thing if you were featured on the evening news doing it, and the "grandmother" test - would do you do the same thing if your grandmother knew about it.

The point of all this is that one of the tests was "is it legal?" If not it doesn't fly as ethical. I'm sure many people can think of good counter arguments for this one, but for most situations I think it's a pretty good criteron for determining this kind of stuff.

Swede

djj6835 · #3 07-25-2005, 02:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The point of all this is that one of the tests was "is it legal?" If not it doesn't fly as ethical.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've always been of the opinion that legality and ethics down't always agree. There are many things that are illegal, but not unethical, and others that are legal, but unethical IMO.

For example, speeding is illegal, but if you are speeding to rush a seriously injured person to the hospital then I wouldn't call it unethical. On the other hand, smoking is completeley legal, but smoking around small children is unethical. Just my opinion.

Patrick del Poker Grande · #4 07-25-2005, 02:16 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Inspired by the recent "Is this unethical.." post, I wanted to ask you guys a question

I actively download mp3s, but In my case I don't see it as stealing. Before I had the ability to download music I literally never purchased CDs. I was just tired of buying entire albums with one good song along with a bunch of filler. Now that I can download music I am able to preview entire CDs and then if I like it I will go out and purchase it. This is why I am now getting very frustrated at the current legal battle against downloading music. It's just kind of annoying to hear artists complain about mp3s knowing that in my case, the only way they will get any of my money is if I have the ability to download their music. In the back of my mind I just feel that the real reason artists are so upset over this whole p2p thing is that they actually need to have more than a couple good songs to sell an album. In a sense it is forcing people to put out higher quality music. Does anyone else use the ability to download music for the same reasons? If so, do you also feel the same way regarding atists complaints about p2p networks?

[/ QUOTE ]
What do you do with the MP3s when there's only one good song on the album? Do you delete them all after you've reviewed them, or do you keep the one good song and then don't buy the album?

RunDownHouse · #5 07-25-2005, 02:19 PM

The whole point is that there used to be a cost associated with your actions: the price of the music. Now that the cost has been removed, of course you're going to download the music. I'm willing to bet that the value of the music you download isn't zero; for instance, if you could buy entire albums for $.50, would you do it? How is buying, say, a bootleg CD at a discounted price illegal and unethical, but downloading it for free isn't?

This, "Well, its not like they'd get my money in the first place" argument just doesn't hold water.

lil' · #6 07-25-2005, 02:23 PM

I used to do what you describe. Being able to download individual songs at a very low price (like on ITunes) should be taking care of this problem for you somewhat. Pay for the one song you like and ignore the rest.

djj6835 · #7 07-25-2005, 02:25 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What do you do with the MP3s when there's only one good song on the album? Do you delete them all after you've reviewed them, or do you keep the one good song and then don't buy the album?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't download the "good" song in the first place because I already know I like it. I just download the rest of the CD. If I don't like those songs then I don't purchase the CD. I do just delete the song I downloaded if I don't like them. However I don't delete them if I went out and purchased the CD. I like to have them on my computer so I can have the CD elsewhere, in my room, car, et. Is this somewhat unethical to keep the songs on my computer even if I purchased the CD? I suppose I could just copy he songs from the CD onto my computer, but I'm just too lazy.

turnipmonster · #8 07-25-2005, 02:26 PM

as someone who has been a musician for a very long time, I can tell you that the real reason artists are upset over illegal downloading is the majority feel that they should get paid for what they produce.

the idea that artists are against downloading because they are too lazy to produce high quality work is absolutely ludicrous.

djj6835 · #9 07-25-2005, 02:29 PM

[ QUOTE ]
This, "Well, its not like they'd get my money in the first place" argument just doesn't hold water.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmm, I think you missed the point of my post. This isn't the argument I am making at all.

djj6835 · #10 07-25-2005, 02:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
the idea that artists are against downloading because they are too lazy to produce high quality work is absolutely ludicrous.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fair enough. That was just more of an aside to the real question.

As an artist, would you object to me downloading your music knowing that the only way I would purchase your music is if I was allowed to preview it first through my downloads? Assume I delete the music and never listen to it again if I don't purchase the CD.