I'm just going to take the time to lay my position out flat, in simple terms, for all to understand.
Why do I not feel as if enjoying copyrighted material for free is morally wrong? That is the question that basically started this fueled debate. I don't think it's morally wrong or right. I feel like it is inevitable and that all art will one day be easy to access, free, and for all to enjoy, from the poorest of people to the wealthiest. Why do I think it is inevitable? Because of what art is. It is inherently worthwhile, no matter how terrible or wonderful. It is an expression, as significant as a heralded speech, but as common as this post. It sets us free little by little depicting views and opinions, life, the real, the imaginary, the very fabric of who we are, and as a race, what we have become. Stifling such a influential part of our world by labeling it with procedures, restricting it's viewers, and ultimately taking the very essence of what made it pure all in the name of money will have a drastic effect on the art and on our overall wellbeing.
I understand we are not there yet and acting like we are is seen as immoral. But so be it.
For a regular average person this just is not a possibility.
I wish there was an article to back me up, but my intuition tells me that the cost to release your own album has plummeted and is soon to be negligible.
In my view, the subclass of amateur musicians who make music with no expectation of major financial success is larger than ever, given the ubiquity of powerful and fairly cheap music technology. The internet is chock full of musicians who care only about the craft. I think that's awesome, but I also think it's not morally superior or inferior to trying to sell your music.
Well you should; music especially. To sell something is inherent of trying to get a return on investment. That's business and there should be none of that as far as art is concerned. Instead, I think artists who are looking for something in return, should go about it as if they are trading their music. Let the user browse their music, listen to it, and then if they want to own it, allow them a means to purchase it. And that's what most subclass artists do.
But the fact is, I was talking about paintings; something you can't readily make a copy of. Selling the original is a definitely morally inferior.