Journey mercies

Being in a country less afluent than that of developed countries, enjoying certain luxuries is not as easy as we would like. And as such, situation encouraged 'alternatives' that such luxuries can be enjoyed but in a less expensive manner, ie through piracy.

I remember a few years ago it was really easy to get pirated music CDs and movie DVDs that cost a fraction of what the originals cost. When it costs only a tenth of the cost of originals, any wonder why people felt pirated copies are the way to go?

Anyway, being a student with limited funds, I succumbed to the temptation of pirated music CDs. But can you imagine, after the first time I bought those CDs, I was attacked with an enormous amount of guilt? So I threw those out after a while.

Now it's a bit of a trend, I would hold off from buying any pirated stuff for a long while, until I forget the guilt that usually attacks me when buying pirated stuff, and indulge in one or two pirated stuff when the urge struck. Then I would be attacked with guilt all over again and then I would dump it and after a while, the cycle would repeat again.

It's expensive, trying to be honest. The most common argument I've encountered is that at the price these music and movie providers are offering the originals, it's their own fault that people are not buying originals. For me? If any of us Malaysians can do a job as good as Americans or anyone else for that matter in producing music and movies we can enjoy, then by all means do it and price it at a fair price. But render unto them music and movie providers what them music and movie providers own. If you can't afford originals, then don't indulge in them.

I think if we stood as a nation, and choose integrity rather than the easy way out, then we might find the situation we chose out of integrity one that is lacking, which might then push ourselves to achieve for ourselves what other nations have imposed such a high price on us. Buying pirated stuff does more damage to ourselves than to other nations. It encourages lackadaisical attitudes and insolence and disrespect towards intellectual property which is the products of other people's hardwork. And I doubt few people can disagree we can do less with that as it is.

Another reason why we shouldn't encourage piracy - it hurts our own economy. Piracy has a direct impact on foreign investment (only one facet to the impact) into our country and we're losing jobs to other countries which is seen to have better infrastructure, higher consumer maturity, and better laws to protect business interests. There are so many things we can do ourselves beyond simply blaming developed countries of bullying us.

So yes, I'm deleting all the mp3 files I've amassed from friends. I hope I find enough strength to throw away the pirated DVDs and xBox games still sitting on my shelf one day.

I'm not writing this post to preach and be pious. I'm vocalising what I know to be right, even if I may not have the strength to act on what is right all the time. In hopes that by talking the talk, it will force me to walk the talk as well.

A conversation I had with a colleague during the week: Perfection is idealism, Improvement is realism.

Big thanks to Rich, whose clear disgust and zero tolerance for pirated goods gave me added strength to choose what is right. It's funny how there are times when just one look, or one word in time can make an impact that persists through years.