Piracy and Political Affiliation

Is one side more receptive than the other?

By Island Dog Posted April 3, 2008 15:44:30

Piracy, whether it be of games, movies, software, or music is a pretty hot topic these days. On one side you have people against piracy who usually claim copyright should be protected and what people are doing is just plain stealing. On the other side there are people who think attempts to squash piracy are against someones "freedom" and argue that piracy doesn't affect the bottom line in business.

I have been looking through a bunch of websites that one could say the readers are more "supportive" of piracy and I noticed that what seems like a majority of these people seem to also be vocal in U.S. politics. It also seems many of these people lean more to the left of the political spectrum, although I can't find any data to officially back that up with. However, I think it's an interesting question to ask. Does ones political affiliation and beliefs lessen or strengthen their stance on piracy?

Now before people get all bent out of shape, let me say I'm not accusing someone of advocating piracy because they are more liberal or conservative, but I do have my personal theory that one side is more receptive of the practice than another. It's common to hear that people who are younger are typically more receptive to piracy than someone much older, but you never here much about their political, or even religious, preferences.

My belief is people who are more liberal, meaning fairly far left, will be more likely to accept the practice of piracy. Why do I think that? Well first of all, far left thinking is that capitalism is bad, and anyone who makes a profit is somehow "evil". This also goes back to the reality that liberalism is more in favor of entitlement, and that someone who makes money somehow "owes" it back to society. This creates an attitude of basically "I don't care" and that stealing someones copyrighted material doesn't mean anything because they are retaliating against the "greedy" industry.

What is your opinion? Do you think an individuals political leaning affects their stance on piracy, or do you think it has no connection at all?

+22 Karma 119 Replies 15 Referrals

There's no connection between Political bent and Piracy.

Anyone 'seeing' one should look more closely at their innate prejudices.

People will 'pirate' as and when they are 'blessed' with the right degree of moral turpitude.

It's simply a result of a combination of ignorance [that it is wrong/illegal/theft] and slack moral values [don't care if it's wrong/illegal/theft as long as I don't get caught].

Attributing it [piracy] to anything else is as defensible as saying "more redheads than blondes are pirates ergo it is a gene problem"....

It's simply a result of a combination of ignorance [that it is wrong/illegal/theft] and slack moral values [don't care if it's wrong/illegal/theft as long as I don't get caught].

i completley agree. when you work as a PC tech, you deal with a lot of pirates. these people can't afford my hourly rate, but yet, when i cut them a deal, i suddenly find a Master Suite of Adobe products on their Sempron box. Now, if they can't afford a couple hours labor charge, where in the blue hell did they find 2 grand for software that's on a machine they bought from Wal Mart?

The Political stance is notwithstanding, because in general, people have A)become much smarter with their computers, and b)piracy has become way too easy, with torrents, and "warez" sites. It's simply become a matter of, hey, i don't want to buy that band's cd, but they're awesome, so i think i'll just torrent it. it's ridiculous. i was raised to believe that if you want something, you have some morals in the method you use to retrieve it. Stealing intangible things is still stealing, and to try to disguise it as "getting back at the companies for over priced merch" is pure manure. I'm a novice user of photoshop. but i still found it worth the cash. If i like a band, i buy their CD. this moral decay of society is too far along to undo now. no matter what, people will find workarounds, and nothing is foolproof.

It's sad to see so many people take advantage of others, we've become cold and selfish about our societies, and it's rare to see an actual community. we're so wrapped up in our own problems, that we lose sight of morals in favor of solving those problems.

I'm slightly liberal...and piracy sounds kind of fun. The open sea, cannonfire, swordplay, the view from the crow's nest. Yeah, it might be kinda fun to be a pirate.

~Zoo

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It's simply a result of a combination of ignorance [that it is wrong/illegal/theft] and slack moral values [don't care if it's wrong/illegal/theft as long as I don't get caught].

sorry for double post

"Innate predjudices" have nothing to do with what has been discussed. People from all types of spectrums pirate goods, their political leanings is not causing it, but it certainly is part of the problem as people from certain political beliefs tend to be less caring when it comes to business, profit, IP, etc.

as people from certain political beliefs tend to be less caring when it comes to business, profit, IP, etc.

true, they may care less, but they are (hopefully) still aware of the difference between right and wrong.

They might know the difference, but as I said, they don't care or feel they are "sticking it to the man" so to speak.

exactly.

I tend to think it is the other way around ...

I believe, in general, a lot of the people that would pirate/ think they need to 'stick it to the man'/ believe they are owed something/ or are out to get whatever handout or freebie they can get their hands on, tend to be Liberals ...

simply for the reason that Liberals are more willing to give out free stuff (money, food stamps, etc.)

and if you don't think some people support Liberals because it's the best way to 'get what's owed 'em', you're mistaken.

I think piracy cuts across all political lines.

However, in my experience, people on the left are far more likely to rationalize their piracy as somehow being morally good.

people from certain political beliefs tend to be less caring when it comes to business, profit, IP, etc

ID ....that sounds pretty 'prejudiced' actually....as again there is an attempt to equate IP issues with one particular entity, be it 'certain political beliefs' or whatever.

Here's the test.... replace key words with other more 'emotive' ones.....

Replace 'certain political beliefs' with 'Muslims' or 'blacks' .... and 'business, profit, IP, etc' with 'honesty' or 'caring about their fellow man'.

If personal life experience shows a 'trend' one way or another with political bent and IP respect it does not necessarily follow that a maxim is proved.

Remember the 3 philosophers on the train....when they cross the border into Scotland and see a black sheep...

First one says..."all sheep in Scotland are black".

Second one says..."no, all we can deduce from that is at least one of them is black".

The third corrects both by saying "Actually all we can say with certainty is that at least one of them is black.....on at least one of its sides".

Back to IP, warez and it sprevalence.

Is it correct to say all Chinese are IP pirates [because most IP theft originates there] or is it more correct to say most IP theft is sourced in China because its population is so huge. The number becomes the issue of prevalence whereas the % uptake may be the same as elsewhere...on a population basis...

So the people on the left-wing are deluded, while the people on the right are crooks? Sounds about right.

I thought Ron Paul was the favourite of the pirating internet classes?

Piracy cuts across all walks of life...meaning I don't care if your squeaky clean...left or right...if they they can get away with it and not get caught some people will do it...even the squeaky clean ones. Politics has nothing to do with it. Might as well just say that people who like ketchup on their burgers as apposed to those that like mustard are more prone to stealing...its just another spin. Its more a matter of character than anything.

I could say its more likely that a poor person will steal simply because they out number the rich...but then rich people steal more simply because they have access to larger things to steal. The arguments and analogies on this could go on forever. Piracy....which is just another word for stealing has always been around and isn't likely to go away...even if people are financially equal. Create another way to protect something and someone will just come along and figure out how to get by it. And life goes on.

What is your opinion? Do you think an individuals political leaning affects their stance on piracy, or do you think it has no connection at all?

I don't think there is any connection.

I'm a mid-40s man whose personal political bent is definitely left but I think piracy and pirates are just another indication of the selfish, greedy motivations of society today.

Piracy is theft and thieves should be prosecuted to the full extend of the law.

D ....that sounds pretty 'prejudiced' actually....

There's a difference between prejudice and experience. In my experience, those on the left believe they are owed . . so they take. If I meet a person that starts spouting of what they are owed (especially without volunteering to contribute) I can infer (pre-judge) (with what I consider a high enough probability) that they are more likely to take.

My experience may not make or prove a maxim . . but I'll still lay higher odds than not.

However, in my experience, people on the left are far more likely to rationalize their piracy as somehow being morally good.

I'll buy this too.

According to this am I to believe that people who shoplift and/or steal are liberals? Why do you attempt to tie criminal conduct to a political affiliation? Are you sure you're not Karl Rove in disguise?

I'll buy this too.

Z...you'll buy anything.

Based on my experience....people on my right that wear long hair are far more likely to rationalize their piracy as somehow being morally good. But then again...people on my left that have short hair are just as likely to rationalize their piracy as somehow being morally good. And when I think about it to long....people that commit white collar crime are just as likely to rationalize their piracy as somehow being morally good. Shall we go on and on and on...?

Theft unfortunately is part of human nature...you cannot narrow it down to any one group of people....people are people...period. Deal with it!

According to this am I to believe that people who shoplift and/or steal are liberals?

Or, to take Brad's tack . . more likely to justify.

In my experience, most of the people I know that pirate digital IP would never shoplift or steal physical things (although I know a few people from the left that don't hesitate to take from public or govt institutions in small amounts [because "their tax dollars pay for it anyway"). Maybe they see it differently or maybe they're more afraid of being caught.

I think WebGizmo jsut stole my joy.

I know a few people from the left that don't hesitate to take from public or govt institutions in small amounts [because "their tax dollars pay for it anyway"). Maybe they see it differently or maybe they're more afraid of being caught.

Why do you keep insisting on this? People on the left do this and people on the left do that with the thises and the thats being some sort of stealing and rationalizing. Zubaz is Karl Rove!

I think WebGizmo jsut stole my joy.

Hehe!

OH....and it has been my experience that people with nick names beginning with Z are far more likely to rationalize their piracy as somehow being morally good.