From the time of birth, music has always been an important factor in our lives. Whether it be our mother humming us a lullaby, jamming out with friends, or the first song at our wedding - music plays a crucial role in our lives. Therefore, it is understandable that people will turn to any source in order to incorporate music into their daily lives.
Downloading music from file sharing programs, like Limewire, is fast, free but unfortunately illegal. I would like to say that I have legally purchased all of my music but in reality, file sharing programs are resources I frequently use illegally. I don’t download this music for the thrill of breaking the law, I do it because it is a fast and free method of listening to music. Though I sometimes turn to legal downloading programs such as iTunes where individual song are sold for $1.29. I usually only purchase music from iTunes if it is one of my favourite artists and I want to support their work.
Downloading music from iTunes is convenient, however, it can also be very costly. In a recent check of my iTunes library I discovered that I have 1127 songs downloaded or uploaded from CD’s. Had all of these songs been purchased for $1.29 from iTunes’ music store the total cost would ring in at $1452.83! That’s a lot of money for anyone, let alone a jobless teenage girl. Given the option, most teenagers are going to download the music for free rather than shelling out thousands of dollars.
When you look at this statistic from the viewpoint of the music industry it is understandable why they are so enraged by illegal downloading. They are losing thousands if not millions of dollars! As consumers we may think that our payment of $1.29 is insignificant to the music industry but it definitely adds up over time. Musical artists are portrayed in the media as living the most lavish lives of anyone in the world. It is difficult to feel guilt over illegally downloading music when we see celebrities with expensive toys, fancy clothes, and huge houses. However, stealing is stealing - it is no more moral to steal from a rich person than it is to steal from a poor person. With this in mind, I can conclude that in order to have a clear conscience I must refrain from the temptation of illegally downloading music.
