Should I rip this?

I have had two conversations in the last month about ripping songs. One with a teenager and one with a father of a pre-teen.

The arguement were the similar:

1. I'm not stealing from the artist, I'm liberating from the evil record companies who are exploiting the poor artists.
2. I'm not stealing because the artist has so much money that they wouldn't notice my purchase.
3. It's not stealing becaus I would have never bought the album (song).
4. Muic should be free for everyone.
5. You don't understand! I'm not going to talk about this anymore.

Of course, you ask them how it's different from shoplifting and who knows what argument they may come up with, because, that's WRONG! Whatever.

My kids think I am harsh because I don't let them burn music at my house. I think I am giving because I don't make them remove all pirated material from the house.

I think that it's stealing. If someone produced some material and expects recompense and doesn't get it; it's stealing. Software, music, movies; all the same thing. Stealing.

I'm on the line about TV. I think I'm OK with watching a show I missed as long as the commercials are intact.
Granted, if I were watching live, I would be flipping to other channels or getting a snack or chasing a kid and probably miss the ad. But the option is there.

You want to burn music you own? Convert all those cassettes to CD (but download the hirher quality version from the web)? Knock yourself out. Have fun. Make that Eighty's mix tape of your favorite monster ballads. You did your part. Thanks.

In any case, I saw a tongue-in-cheek chart at inreview.co.uk that will help those who want to steal justify that theft. And those others . . . enjoy.