I disagree ... Stealing is depriving someone of their property. P2P networks involve sharing files amongst neighbors, much like if your neighbor would ask to borrow a movie or game or music CD from you. Piracy isn't all that appropriate either ... what is a pirate ... someone who comendeers a vessel or vehicle by force ... there is no force involved in internet piracy. These words are used incorrectly by large companies in order to make it seems as if these activities are wrong.
You are correct about the term pirate, that is a phrase used for fear-mongering. Even though stealing is depriving someone of their property, it still applies to warez. The licensing agreements for software and music specifically state that they are just loaning you the songs, and you don't in any way or form "own them". Therefore, giving them to your neighbors is illegal, putting them on the web is illegal, and making backup copies for your own use is also illegal. Actually, it is different than stealing, it is more like vandalism, since you are deliberately misusing someone else's property.
Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with making a copy of and storing a movie or game or anything that can be downloaded from a peer ... a 'neighbor'
Well, neither do I. And I also think it is pretty sad that we have this whole huge system in place for people to sell and resell all this crap, even though you never truly own it. But hey, it isn't up to you or me. It's these huge media corporations, with bigger bankrolls than Norway, pissing and moaning about everything. Do you know that the audio cassette tape was delayed by a number of years, because it could allow a person to make a copy of an LP? And the VCR was delayed too, because it was feared that people would use it to tape TV shows, and fast-forward thru the commercials. Those things seem like the most natural and useful applications, yet they were once considered theft and/or piracy. Point being that the giant media companies will always have some whine about what they need, and they have the money to make it so.
And yes everything and everyone is corrupt ... they steal from you, you steal from them, they lie to you, you lie back, everything and everyone is full of shit ... so what can you do ? Keep the cycle going, hey if they don't stop I sure as hell won't
That's the shittiest attitude I have heard in a long time.