The Sh*t L*st

Two articles on file-sharing in this morning's New York Times online. The Sunday magazine article, "Turn On. Tune In. Download.," is especially worth a look. Rob Walker writes:

What the music industry is doing might be thought of as administering a dose of tough love, an intervention that will remind wayward youth not just that stealing is wrong but also that we have a system here wherein goods and services carry a cost. It's called capitalism, kid, and chances are very high that your favorite recording artist -- and every other cultural figure you admire -- loves it. Better to learn this now and kick the download habit before it leads to harder stuff, like a general unwillingness to pay for material goods of any kind, or a failure to grasp the magic of a great brand. If these consumer delinquents don't get scared straight back to the mall, the cost to us all will be much greater than lost revenue for the music business. The very morals of a generation are at stake.

Don't forget, too, that, according to Sony Music's chief, online music swapping is also a gateway to child-porn trafficking.