What I find disgusting about pirating isn't the act itself; it's the attitude of entitlement that so often accompanies the act. While reasons aren't important, most reasons are provided as excuses and justifications meant to mitigate the reality of piracy.

In the manifesto Miriel posted, the speaker asked when leisure became a luxury. When did the cost of a family going to the movie become $50? I understand the plight, I do, but why shouldn't it cost that? It's ridiculous to suggest that we are entitled to go see a movie when we feel like it. This isn't something we are making for ourselves; it is not something of our creation. Movies are the product of the collective efforts and work of a number of other people; you have no more right to their work than they to yours, and people need to learn to stop pretending otherwise.

I don't mean to stand up for the movie and music industries. They're most certainly digging their own graves and price gouging has undoubtedly only contributed to making their own problems with piracy worse. However, I believe that if someone is going to pirate something (personally, I have and most likely will again in the future), they should acknowledge what they are doing for what is it and not try to hide behind justifications. Miriel suggested that providing reasons are important to understanding the motivations and thus solving the problem; I agree. Let's be honest though. Most of the time when someone says, "I downloaded the movie because I can't afford to go to the theater," they're trying to justify their decision as acceptable; they're not trying to create a useful dialogue to solve a problem which is a plague upon the entertainment industry.