I am strictly against music / movie piracy

I am an outcast amongst my friends - I still pay for the music I listen to...I never watch a movie using illegal means (no downloads, no pirated DVDs)...I don't share what I have paid for and don't ask for things from my friends that they downloaded for free!

I actually take the high ground and say that I am strictly against piracy - how would I feel if my efforts don't getting paid...a fact that I think is just as easy to think about and realise - but my friends don't seem to be bothered about it. The general attitude is - if it's not happening to me - I don't mind doing it to someone else.

I agree that being tech-handicapped makes me dislike the entire idea of understanding torrents, understanding how to seek trust-worthy source to download from...I have been, until recently, the guy to walk into a music store and purchasing CDs. The last few that I bought were Adele's 21 and Best of Def Leppard. It has only been a few days that I opened my mind to legal internet downloads - iTunes.

Ever since I saw what all is available on iTunes and the prices at which legal music is available - I am further disappointed with my friends who feel it is okay to download it all for free, just because it's available for free somewhere! Let me give you examples:

      - I paid Rs.395 for Adele's 21 CD at a music store; this album is available for Rs.120 on iTunes

      - I downloaded an entire album of Hootie & The Blowfish for Rs.30

      - I have the freedom to actually select individual songs from an album, downloaded a single of Meatloaf..."I'd do anything for love (but I won't do that) - all for Rs15

I used to wonder how cheap my high-earning friends were to download music for free, when I used to think that the comparison was with buying CDs (which are more expensive than what's available on iTunes)...but now - I think it is just lame and pathetic for these guys to continue disrespecting and abusing someone's efforts so blatantly.

Since I am taking a high ground here...allow me to highlight a bit of hypocrisy of my own: there is no legal licence I have to use the cartoons that I have used on my blog...these have been downloaded from the internet for free, without any form of consent from their creators. Well...I guess no one's perfect!