I wish this wasn't a deeply nested comment attached to a somewhat unrelated article because I think this is a really interesting discussion that deserves its ow

I wish this wasn't a deeply nested comment attached to a somewhat unrelated article because I think this is a really interesting discussion that deserves its own thread. There are some genuinely interesting ethical questions here. FWIW, I feel that people who have the money to do so should support the artists, engineers, and other folks who create the things they use and enjoy. I buy books rather than borrow them from the library for this reason: I want to give the authors more money, so that hopefully they'll keep writing the books I love to read. I know not everyone shares my perspective, though.