Last night on some cable news show — I really can’t stand these
things, so I don’t always pay close attention to the particulars —
there was a discussion about copyright and morality. One of the
hosts was incredulous at the fact that his kids viewed music
downloading as no big deal. “Why don’t they understand it’s a
crime? What’s gone wrong with our culture?”

I don’t really see it the same way. Having something stolen from
you can be a violating experience; I think this probably forms the
basis of most people’s moral stance against stealing. But these same
feelings don’t seem to occur when someone takes a copy of something I
already have. Maybe that guy’s kids are just a little more clear on
the origins of their morality than he is.

Or, maybe he’s got a different approach entirely. There may be
good practical reasons not to copy “intellectual property” without
paying. Examining these tradeoffs doesn’t play to well on TV,
though. It’s easier to reduce it to a black-or-white moral problem,
and then blame the guy you don’t like.