Ethically purchasing used compact discs: ?

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by Cherrycherry, Oct 26, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Cherrycherry

    Cherrycherry Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Le Froidtown
    I hadn't dwelled upon the ethics of purchasing used compact discs before reading threads on SHF.
    My first considerstion is that a cd is a piece of property which I have purchased. It is mine to do with as as I see fit (within limits of the license). When I bought a CD at MusicWorld, the CD became mine. And the money went to MusicWorld, which that money went to a Recording Industry distributin chain leading back to an original musician/vocalist/audio performer.
    After a period of time, for whatever reason, I decide to sell the compact disc to a used CD store or to someone at a flea market or through an online marketplace(Ebay,Discogs,Amazon, other). There is no opportunity defined within this transaction for any portion of this sale to be channeled back or delivered to the original musician/vocalist/audio performer, nor their heirs, nor current rights holders.
    I feel perfectly comfortable with this as framed within the concepts of personal property and business within a free-market.
    Then an arguement arose that any secondary sales of the compact disc was unfair and unethical in depriving income and compensation to the original musician/vocalist/audio performer, nor their heirs, nor current rights holders.
    Initially, I don't agree with this idea. Further pondering lead to me to the idea behind it is that while previous music recording products were temporary, the Compact Disc was created to be too perfect. CD has disrupted a natural order and caused unrest. At this moment, I don't buy it.

    There is a poll. Share your thoughts, if you like!
     
    Grant and Crimson Witch like this.
  2. Zapruder

    Zapruder Just zis guy, you know?

    Location:
    Ames, IA
    If buying used CDs isn't ethical, that means buying used LPs isn't either, and I ain't about that.
     
  3. You don’t mention whether you are keeping A digital copy of the cd tracks before you sell it used. That’s when things get complicated and ethical issues are raised.
     
  4. jeffrey walsh

    jeffrey walsh Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, Pa. USA
    Lars Ulrich joined the forum... All kidding aside if the used copy is clean and cheap I’ll be going that route.
     
  5. impalaboy

    impalaboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boise, Idaho
    Same would go for books, too.
     
  6. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I'm not bothered. I'm going to keep buying them, and the thought of loads of rare original pressing records and CDs being thrown out because it's not legal to sell them on would be horrifying.
     
  7. Musical Chairs

    Musical Chairs Forum Resident

    I buy both used CDs and LPs. I also buy a ton new. I feel zero guilt when I buy used U2. I feel a little more complicated about both my Steve Forbert LPs being used or a higher percentage of my James Taylor catalog being purchased new than my Livingston Taylor.
     
    kronning and Man at C&A like this.
  8. I comfort myself with I’m keeping them out of a landfill...
     
  9. mesfen

    mesfen Senior Member

    Location:
    lawrence, ks usa
    The ghost of Garth arises! Really don’t understand nor comprehend the dilemma of pondering the ethnicity of this. Once purchased, it’s yours to whatever you want including selling it. The artist/record labels got their cut when it was sold initially. To the OP, how to do feel about ripping CDs?
     
  10. rockclassics

    rockclassics Senior Member

    Location:
    Mainline Florida
    Well if the original artist should be paid for every sale of a used CD or LP then I should be paid everytime the house that my father built is sold.

    This is an absolutely ridiculous debate.
     
  11. DirkM

    DirkM Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, USA
    Is it unethical to purchase a used car?
     
  12. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
    I see it this way-IF the record labels offered a superior (hires) sound product in physical disc form OR streaming form I would purchase that over the cd that has been released before- I would buy that.Since that is most of the time not possible I seek out used cds.
     
    BluesOvertookMe, Rukiki and kronning like this.
  13. Cherrycherry

    Cherrycherry Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Le Froidtown
    I hadn't included that as part of this discussion. Different kettle of fish, IMO.
    Do you think there no ethical considerations outside of that, then please vote yes or other.:righton:
     
    Grant and kronning like this.
  14. rockclassics

    rockclassics Senior Member

    Location:
    Mainline Florida
    I also think it is ridiculous that you cannot buy or sell legally purchased downloads of music.
     
  15. sunking101

    sunking101 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yorkshire, England
    If you buy a car the manufacturer only gets some money off the original owner. Aftet that the car is theirs to do with as they like. The same goes for compact discs. The label and artist get the money once.
     
    Grant, kronning, ispace and 5 others like this.
  16. Cherrycherry

    Cherrycherry Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Le Froidtown
    Ripping CD's is a separate discussion IMO.
     
    Grant and kronning like this.
  17. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    If I'm satisfied with the version I have, barely anything would make me buy an album I already have over again. I'm not into re-buying music I already have unless it's a nice and well priced original vinyl pressing of a favourite I only have on CD.
     
    kronning likes this.
  18. John Rhett Thomas

    John Rhett Thomas Forum Resident

    Location:
    Macon, GA, USA
    Threads like this remind me of what a maniac Garth Brooks is/was.
     
  19. StarThrower62

    StarThrower62 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse, NY
    No different than buying used anything else.
     
  20. wildstar

    wildstar Senior Member

    Location:
    ontario, canada
    You left out "environmental impact" from the poll. I'm far more concerned about the several million tons of non-biodegradable materials that would start choking the landfills if used CDs became illegal, than I am about the few pennies lost by monolithic corporate entities per used CD sold, since only a small fraction of those people buying used CDs would have bought them new at full price anyway - even if that were the only option. Not to mention most big sellers don't make their way into the used bins until well after their sales peak has past, so there's not a lot of money to be lost at that point anyway. How many new copies of (to randomly name just one out of tens of thousands of examples) The Spin Doctors 'Pocketful Of Kryptonite' sell per year this millenium? (That is assuming that its even still in print).
     
  21. The same would go for anything that is purchased, used, then resold without compensation to the original producer.
     
    BeatleJWOL, ARK, kronning and 5 others like this.
  22. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    It is highly unusual for me ot buy a ‘new’ CD and this has been the case for some time now.

    If you like an artist’s work but dislike the artist for personal/ethical reasons (Eric Clapton/Gary Glitter/mark as appropriate) then you can ‘refuse’ to remunerate them by buying their product second hand.

    If, otoh, the artist concerned could probably do with the money, you can buy their product ‘new’.

    As for the second-hand market: once you’ve bought it, it’s your property. Nothing about that is going to change anytime soon.
     
  23. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    It's always ruins the day to some extent to be reminded of Garth Brooks. Luckily barely anyone has ever given a toss about him here.
     
  24. Carl Swanson

    Carl Swanson Senior Member

    Just to haze up the ethics a bit more . . .

    • How many of the artists you like are deceased?

    • If they're alive, how many actually still own any part of the rights, and receive any money even from original sales?
     
  25. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    My first priority is keeping my local used CD stores in business. I'd absolutely hate to see them close.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine