Sometimes I think I am the only person left in the world who still believes copying music, video and software is wrong.

It really is a crime. It gets to the point sometimes when the quiet nods and winks appear when I enter a room and silence takes hold as the ghost like apparitions disappear into the mist and the scuffle of putting things away in a hurried and embarrassed manner dulls the air. And why? Because I pay for my music, videos and software – from shops.

During these uncomfortable times, if I approach someone about why they obtain media in this way, the answer is always the same “Who is it hurting?” and “I don’t see what the problem is” – I have never heard anyone tell me “You have a point there.” – quite the opposite, in fact, often I am left feeling like the guilty party having to justify why I am challenging someone – how ridiculous is that?

“Sometimes I feel a bit like Donald Sutherland in Invasion Of The Body Snatchers where people point you out as being the one who is different.”

Mind you, ask those same people to openly admit what they are doing and you could cut the silence with a knife. If what you are doing is fine then why hide it? Let’s talk about it.

The next time someone complains about the state of music, or bugs in software, or poorly produced videos think about why that might be? Have these artists and production companies had to cut back because resources were tight? But who are they hurting really?

So, the end of that movie was too poor or the CGI really bad? Maybe if they had a bit more money they could have done the job they really wanted to do. Also, think about the the artists who may have been dropped by their record companies due to poor sales when in reality many people might love their music – they just aren’t prepared to buy it. Who are they hurting really? I heard a story recently of someone who said they really loved a particular artist and couldn’t get enough of their music – but are they prepared to pay for it? What do you think the answer was?

And don’t tell me this stuff is too expensive … you can buy a music track for pennies these days. Ignorance may work some of the time but if you are printing off lists of DVD’s, containing videos and games, and selling them to your friends then you must have some idea that what you are doing is wrong?

The ending or plot of a movie is spoiled by people complaining about the poor quality of the DVD – sometimes even before it’s been shown at the cinema. My kids have to wait until birthdays and Christmas to get a computer game to play, then you get those who have pirated CD’s and DVD’s containing the latest releases talking about this rubbish game or those poor graphics. Then you get those who might ask if you would install some software on their new laptop then they balk when you ask them for the software license. But, who are they hurting really?

When you approach people for support you get the feeling no one really cares and the untold suggestion is a blind eye should be the order of the day – after all who are they hurting?

A bit of support wouldn’t go amiss and I don’t mean the official finger pointing copyright police – just a bit of social support that encourages understanding, clarification and decency.

I am not asking for a wholesale change to our society – just a bit of doing the right thing from people who already know better.