An eye opener

I am in a class called Using Media For Culture Change in which we have talked about the influence that things like film, commercials, and especially stories can have in not only reflecting culture but in creating it. Our teachers wanted us to experience first hand the opportunity to try and apply some of the things we have been learning. So they had members of the BYU copyright office come in to share an issue in BYU culture they wanted us to discuss and try to begin to design a plan to change what copyright means to the BYU community.

Basically, they were saying there are many illegal downloads each month, illegal print copying done, and other things that endanger the name of the school and also can become quite costly. As we discussed and I thought about it in more detail I came to the conclusion that perhaps one of the biggest issues at hand was that many people either don't know the law, or they don't want to know it so they claim ignorance and continue to break it. As one of the presenters was talking, she referenced a website that really opened my eyes called

http://www.musicunited.org/

So the question of culture is the difference between "sharing" and "stealing." Also the misconception that "this won't hurt anyone because they (the music artist, software writer, or whoever) is rich anyway." This website really sheds light on the issue and helps define the laws and the impact of breaking them very clear. If it is accurate then there are some very sad things involved - 70,000 jobs lost! my oh my. It seems if the copyright office took on a vigorous campaign similar to "go green" where they consistently produced adds or facebook strategies to enlighten the public the issue may not be the same. If everyone knew and was aware then I feel things would begin to progress. We also talked about making a documentary film following a band who does well but is effected by the illegal downloading to where they have to stop - or even having a video contest at the college to support the idea and enlighten the community.

I found this quote from one of my favorite addresses ever given by Elder Bednar that really has clearly defined the issue for me.

Now I would like to address an additional characteristic of the adversary’s attacks. Satan often offers an alluring illusion of anonymity. Lucifer always has sought to accomplish his work in secret (see Moses 5:30). Remember, however, that apostasy is not anonymous simply because it occurs in a blog or through a fabricated identity in a chat room or virtual world. Immoral thoughts, words, and deeds always are immoral, even in cyberspace. Deceitful acts supposedly veiled in secrecy, such as illegally downloading music from the Internet or copying CDs or DVDs for distribution to friends and families, are nonetheless deceitful. We are all accountable to God, and ultimately we will be judged of Him according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts (see Alma 41:3). “For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).

- Elder Bednar, Things As They Really Are