Ethically purchasing used compact discs: ?

I buy a ton of CDs, mostly new. But if I find a used one that is OOP or is just a good deal, I will buy them. The last one I bought was Modern Music by Be-Bop Deluxe. I know that album is being reissued soon, but wanted to check out the album. That is a big thing for me, if the CD is in print, I will gladly buy it new most of the time. But when they are OOP, used is obviously the only option.

I guess I figure somebody originally bought the disc, so the artist was compensated. Is it really much worse than when CDs/LPs are in cutout bins? Actually I don't know if they exist anymore, but some new CDs I've bought through the years had a hole drilled in the case or a notch on the spine. And the CD was like 1 dollar, cheaper than a used disc.

 

... dear lord...

 

And what about items to be left to heirs in a will?

 

I was thinking the same thing... I bought a used Santa Fe over at Carmax a couple years ago. A fortune in R&D costs probably went into the development of that vehicle, but nobody would ever argue that Hyundai was entitled to a cut of the re-sale price.

 

Yes but that is the only reason an ethical issue could even arise. Assuming you never copy the CD, you lose the enjoyment of playing the music after selling it on. At any one time only one person can get pleasure out of it, so there is no reason to compensate the artist twice. It's the same as with any other product.

 

If no animals are harmed, I don't see why not...

 

A used SACD of mine is available for sale. You can ethically purchase it!

 

Next on the agenda, "Lending a paperback to a friend: mere moral outrage or potential criminal act?"

 

Such issues are always the ethical responsibility of the seller, not the buyer. (There's no moral dilemma buying.)

Personally, I always delete any copies that I might have when I sell a used disc.

 

Someone's already compensated the rights owners (hopefully). Now making copies and selling them, that's unethical and illegal.

 

I've never pondered the ethical dilemma of buying used CDs because it doesn't exist. Silly question.

 

Ethnicity?

 

Not apples to apples. The question is copyright. I'm pretty sure your dad didn't copyright his work on the house.

 

See post above.

 

Depends where you live. In some countries it's legal, in others it isn't.

Ethics should be universal, so any meaningful discussion we could have would be about that while ignoring the different legal situations.

 

He wasn't a maniac, he is a business major from Oklahoma State, who made records.

 

The OP asked about ethics, not legality. Ethically I see no reason to treat the creation of a work of art differently from creating a physical object or manual labour. Some form of creativity is involved in almost any human work. The fact that the law treats them differently is down to tradition and lobbyism.

A related question is, is it ethical to treat work done by employees different from work done by the self-employed.

 

Thank you for saving this thread. I really thought this community was more well informed than it is demonstrating here.

 

Well, I certainly agree that ethics are not the same as legality. The founders of this country set up copyright law to protect creators and foster innovation. Then the Disney Corporation came along and lobbied to have it changed so that it created intellectual monarchies and suppressed creativity. So I disagree that it is mainly dictated by tradition, thought fully agree that lobbyism has far too much sway currently. Laws are supposed to better society.

 

I'm off to peruse the used vinyl threads now.

 

Is borrowing a book from the library ethical ?

 

Why wouldn't it be?

 

@Cherrycherry or anyone who is really interested in this subject should read a brilliant book called "Remix" by Lawrence Lessig. It is available for free download on Internet Archive. Anyone who made posts about used cars should watch this TED talk of his. It will at least demonstrate that the situation isn't as cut and dried as they think it is.

Laws that choke creativity

 

Get a life.

 

Exactly. So why would buying second hand cd's/vinyl be unethical