[ForHackernews]

Everyone thinks they're saving the world. I'm sure the RIAA sleeps soundly knowing they're defending the rights of creative individuals to make a living and holding the line against the scourge of amoral nihilistic pirates.

[webmaven]

> Everyone thinks they're saving the world. I'm sure the RIAA sleeps soundly knowing they're defending the rights of creative individuals to make a living and holding the line against the scourge of amoral nihilistic pirates.

Amoral Nihilistic Pirates would be a great name for a band.

Just sayin'.

[andrepd]

I'm much more cynical. They know they're bastards but they make far far too much money to care.

[jacobr1]

Everyone is the hero in their own story. Few people actually gleefully play the scoundrel. The ability humans have to self-rationalize is amazing. And even when folks are doing something they know is wrong, often it gets justified in the balance: the victim deserved it, the perpetrator is Robin Hood and proceeds will benefit those who need it more, the action makes up for a historic injustice, etc ...

[wpietri]

People may not play the scoundrel much, but I see plenty of people playing the ronin, the soldier of fortune. E.g., the contract programmer on a 6-month gig where they know the project is fucked, but as long as the check clears, it's not their problem. The sysadmin who doesn't much care what's on the servers. Plenty of others, for sure.

[ForHackernews]

I doubt it. Every time there's an article on here about the latest outrage from $FaceGoogzon there's no shortage of well-paid rationalisers in the comments. I'd expect the same is true of the RIAA. Especially among their legal team: there are far more unseemly clients than the RIAA out there.

[RobRivera]

There's plenty of people out there who simply do X for financial payout Y.

As a matter of fact, the financial services sector thrives with such people

[wpietri]

Yup. After the mortgage bubble burst, I saw a lots of posts from people in the industry who knew something was wrong, but as long as they kept making commissions, they weren't going to question anything.

[redvenom]

I don't really think so. I think a lot of people are just doing something because it's a job. And a lot of people are sound with being sheep and just following the rules because they exist, and don't like the discomfort that comes with questioning everything on a deep level.