[Marxism] Re: Eli and downloading

["Eli Stephens" <elishastephens@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jose wrote:

> In his latest missive to this list, Eli reveals his complete political
> solidarity with the capitalist copyright cartel and the music monopoly
> mafia.

Jose seems to think that the music industry is some particularly odious
branch of capitalism, deserving of his name-calling and particular ire (not
to mention alliteration). Compared to the effects on the working class of
Wal-Mart, or Safeway, or GM, or Merck, etc., etc. I find this laughable to
put it mildly. Workers are affected by the price of food, housing, health
care, cars, and lots more; I doubt many of them are sitting around worrying
about the price of CDs. This is an issue that preoccupies college students
and net geeks.

I don't care to argue the law with you on downloading, Jose, I'm certainly
not a lawyer and as far as I know you aren't either. The point I was making
is that ignoring property rights under capitalism has nothing to do with
moving towards communism. Let's move to something we both (presumably) agree
is illegal - car theft. I'll even stick to the case where someone steals a
car from a factory lot, rather than from another worker. Is this a communist
act in some way? If more and more people were stealing cars from factory
lots, would that indicate some sort of move towards a communist thinking in
the working class? I don't think so. I'm not "preaching obedience to
property rights" as you put it. I'm saying that individual disobedience of
those rights which exist under capitalism is not the path to communism.

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