The Question of File Sharing

I always hear a lot of controversy surrounding the validity of “file sharing” especially when it pertains to music. Often it is argued that by sharing music with another person, you are in fact engaging in unethical behavior. Its an interesting topic and one I’d like to discuss.

Here is the question. Is sharing music files on p2p/torrent sites immoral? I would argue that no, it is not, but its on a variety of different reasons.

First, it is analogous to sharing a book that you’ve read with a friend. If you have ever read a book you truly love, I’m sure you aren’t the only one who reads the copy you bought. You may have given it to a brother or sister to read, maybe to your wife or husband. Are you violating the intellectual writes of the author by doing this? Of course not! You are merely sharing something you love with someone else who might enjoy it as well. You want to express to someone how great a book is. Granted, the author doesn’t get an extra book sale, but you don’t hear them complaining about it.

So, why doesn’t this same scenario apply to music? Really, if you love a band, you want to expose others to the music. And quite frankly, youtube and Myspace aren’t the best ways to demonstrate new music to other friends of yours. So, what do you do, you share the music. You give the cd to a friend. Yet somehow, the intellectual rights of the of the musician are being violated, I don’t get it. If you read a book and remember the plot and themes, isn’t that the same as storing the music files on your computer? I think so.

Also, I have another scenario for you. Say you buy a copy of the Beatles famous album Yesterday and Today with the Butcher cover still on it. You own the music files on vinyl record. However, after years, due to the rareness of the album, the price increases significantly. Now that the album price is much higher, you sell it. You make a profit off the album. Now, do you need to pay the royalties on the album because its price went up? No, no you do not. The same thing should apply to all music. Here the musician isn’t getting profit off of their album, but nothing happens to the seller.

So, all in all, it seems ridiculous to claim that one is violating the rights of the musician. You are merely sharing music with someone else, like you would a favorite book to a friend. You aren’t insulting the artist; you are rather praising them by expressing to others how great their music is.

Discuss ;)

My College Essay

Hey all! I apologize for not posting a blog in God knows how long. I've just been lazy over the past few weeks or so. Anywhoo, this blog post is actually my college application essay. Please please please tell me what you think of it. I really would love feedback. Thanks!

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College Essay

My family has never been considered a “church family.” I know I was baptized, there are photos and documents to prove that, but I had no personal part in it. After that, we didn't go to church until I was about 7. I received my First Holy Communion after about a year of classes, then stopped. That was the last time I stepped foot in a church on a regular basis for 8 years.

In this whole time, I always had a little voice, not inside my head, but rather in my heart, telling me to go back to church. Back then I thought it nothing more than my conscious: it wasn't until later on that I realized that it was the Holy Spirit working within me. God wanted me to go back to church. One day, while lounging around with my friend Colin, I heard his mother discussing with him how he would have to start classes for his Confirmation. This struck a chord with me. I asked his mother about the sign up date, and immediately called my mother. I told her I wanted to make my Confirmation. She agreed, and we signed up a few weeks after that. We walked down to the parish hall, filled out the forms, and then were instructed for me to attend the first class the following Sunday evening.

The dozen or so three hour classes passed in a flash not too unlike a bolt of lightning. I was excelling in my faith: learning about God, and his son Jesus and the love he has for all of us. In this time I definitely believed in God, and I knew in my mind Jesus was my savior, but I never felt it in my heart. I was waiting for my actual Confirmation, I had a feeling like that day specifically would solidify my faith in Jesus Christ. And after many a week of classes, the day finally dawned

I woke up at the nice hour of about 10 AM, which isn't too bad for a Saturday. I say “woke” up, but in all honestly sleep was not one of the things that happened that evening. I dragged my feet over to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and splashed some water on my face hoping it would get the sand out from the corner of my eyes. Then I returned back to my room, and donned my thrift store blazer and white collared shirt that we had purchased just a few days before. Then, since I didn't know how, my mother awkwardly tied the tie around my neck. I was all set, now I had to play the waiting game.

We left for the Church at about 12:30. I was apprehensive beyond anything anyone could imagine. t. I wasn't sure what was exactly going to happen, but then again, it isn't really easy for someone to describe a life changing ceremony to someone else. We got to the church, my mother went up and took a place in a pew with my father and I proceeded down the unattractive linoleum covered steps into the basement parish hall. I saw many friends, all standing with their sponsor in large, wide open room. I was alone, however. My sponsor was my lovely great-grandmother, and at 89, she was too old to be walking up and down the steps so much. So, again I did more waiting, it seemed like sitting idly was going to be my theme for the day. So, the priest came down to us all, spoke a few words, and then we lined up to go upstairs. I knew the most important part of the day was coming soon.

I walked up the stairs, met with my sponsor, and walked down the main aisle of the the church. I was quite calm now, not truly worried, just anxious to get my seat in the pew and to have things start up. When we all were seated, the bishop and the altar servers proceed down the very same aisle I had walked and took their places by the altar. The bishop uttered a few words to us all that quite honestly, I do not remember. Then, we all got ready to renew our baptismal promises. The bishop asked if we rejected Satan. I said yes with my lips, but in my mind it came out sort of like “Yes, of course I do!” The process continued and he asked if Jesus was our savior and if we believed in the communion of Saints and the Church and again, I said yes, knowing this to be true. Then, we proceed up to the foot of the altar, it was time for us all to be anointed with oil. The first few people ahead of me went, then it was my turn, I was standing square in front of the bishop with my sponsor with her hand on her shoulder behind me. My sponsor said my confirmation name, Joseph, and the bishop then made the sign of the cross on my forehead and told me I was now sealed with the Holy Spirit. Then, it was if a dam broke loose.

At that moment a torrent of emotions filled my soul. It seems like at that moment, I truly understood what my faith in Jesus meant to me. For some reason I understood that being loving, compassionate, and caring to others is what Jesus wanted out of me. I was truly sealed with the Holy Spirit on that day. Now I know what the Prophets must have felt like when they were called by God to His service. Though I may not vocalize it, that one moment in time, when I was sealed with the Holy Spirit was the most important part of my life. From that day forward, I vowed to model my life after the teachings of the Bible, and use them to better myself, and to help others.