by Syd Thompson

Created on: April 28, 2009   Last Updated: April 29, 2009

With today's modern technology, it's all so easy to want to snag a few songs here and there... maybe even a couple of movies. I mean, somebody went out of their way to put them on there. Who is it hurting, really?

Everytime this subject comes up around me, I notice that particular bands come up. I hear names tossed about like Metallica, Led Zepplin and whatnot. The argument is simply thrown my way by simple sayings like, "Those people are rich as hell! They don't need any more money! It's not gonna hurt them if I take a few of their songs." By looking at the mountain instead of all the little nooks and crannies on the side of the hill, you don't realize that those "big studios" that produced these bands are simply businesses just like anything else. They have over-head just like Target, Best Buy and Wal-Mart.

So let's consider this strange comparison; shall we?

What happens to the prices of any random item on the shelf of Target if someone comes by at different intervals and decides that... "Well, that [desired item] is certainly something I would like, but I don't have the money right now." Instead of acting like any other human being with a decent set of morals, they figure that it won't hurt anyone to just snag it off the shelf. Besides, it's small. It's not hurting anyone. It's not going to be missed. Right?

Well, time passes and surprisingly, this same thought processes goes through a few other minds. What a bunch of crooks shop at Target! But it's OK. Target is a big company that pays their employees badly! If anything, these little thefts are a "get-back at the man" for those poor suckers at the cash register. Then something odd starts to happen...

Eventually you walk into Target and suddenly this [desired item] is priced at a cost that it's really not worth. Matter of fact, so are a few other items. Why the hell would I pay "X" dollars for that [piece of rubbish]? Sadly, even some items that I do need are a little over-priced. Damn it! That's how much milk is!?! Outrageous! How could they do this? What is the meaning behind this?

Well, my fine thieving friends, it's the beautiful thing about supply and demand. These markets make things available because we want them and when unfortunate events happen, these markets need to find ways to bring their cost back up. In other words, they need to raise the prices of other items in order to pay for the loss that our "needy" friends couldn't live without. Overall, every other honest paying individual just bought that

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