I realize that a lot of very dishonest people deliberately misinterpret people saying they have a right to get paid for their work. They do what you've done he

I realize that a lot of very dishonest people deliberately misinterpret people saying they have a right to get paid for their work. They do what you've done here: mischaracterize it as an unreasonable assertion that they get paid for work, even in the absence of any buyers. As noted very explicitly, that is NOT what "the right to get paid" means. What it really means is that you don't have the right to opt out of paying. If you want something YOU MUST negotiate with the rights holder. You're free to reject any and all offers, of course. And if everyone rejects a seller's offer and / or price, the seller is s.o.l. But what you CANNOT do is say "I don't like the price you're asking, so fuck it, I'm going to set my own - which could be $0 if I feel like it." I'm sorry, but that is NOT a right you have. What "The right to be paid for my work" really means is "I have the power to set the price for my work". You can accept that price or you can reject that price. But you cannot unilaterally change that price. You seem like an intelligent person, so I don't think this I beyond your comprehension. That's why I don't hesitate to call you dishonest because clearly, you should know better. And I'm glad to hear you pay for media. But let's be clear, acting like you're doing anyone a favor is a dick move, for the same reason that a boss who treat your paycheck as a favor is being an asshole. "Yes, but the Internet...". But no. The fact that technology made being as asshole exponentially easier does not change the underlying ethics one iota. If what we're talking about is something people actually want, the people who created it retain the right to get paid. They don't have a right to a business model (e.g. newspapers can't shut down Craigslist for offering better, cheaper classifieds). That's competition, fair and square. However, that's not the same as saying "I still want (x), but instead of paying, I'll just not pay." Whatever else you're doing in that situation, you are not acting within your rights.