RE: ITV being cheated on

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 01/01/2001 12:02:25 AM Eastern Standard Time,

Malati.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:

 

<< Brahmanada Prabhu apparently was or still is selling pirated copies of a

Japanese produced Ramayan. THis has almost caused a law-suit to be issued

against IKSCON. PLEASE, don't purchase or sell or show pirated versions of

this Ramayan in your temples. It is a big problem. yr serant, Malati dd

(GBC member)

 

 

>>

 

This brings up a serious issue that devotees in general should be concerned

with. The market of pirated copies of all kinds of cds, videos and tapes.

Somehow or other the general population of Iskcon thinks it is okay to avoid

paying the asking price by making copies or buying pirated copies of Srila

Prabhupada's lectures or kirtans or other transcendental subject matter.

 

It seems the general feeling is that SP was giving transcendental knowledge

and it was free and that the prices being charged are too much so we are

justified in just making copies. We must be cautious with this kind of

thinking. SP did not advocate giving the books away for free, chanting Hare

Krsna is free, but neither the books nor magazines ever were.

 

The price of videos, cds and tapes reflects the entire cost of producing

these things, not the cost of simply copying them. Sure anyone can make a

copy of one of Srila Prabhupada's lectures on a cd for pennies, but to

maintain the archives that allowed Srila Prabhupada's lectures to be

preserved costs much more than a copy. Charging $108 for all of the lectures

on pirated CDs does not make the transaction transcendental. The same is true

for newer productions....the Memories videos come to mind. Much effort and

work went into producing this wonderful series and the producers deserve to

be fairly paid for this service.

 

We may think that the price being charged, for whatever, is too much so we

have the option not to buy or to lobby for lower prices. But to copy any of

these things without paying the producer the asking price is basically

stealing and not one of the qualities of a devotee. The willingness to do so

points out fundamental moral inadequacies in our society. Think about it.

yhs, Kanti dasi

[Guest guest]

|

|Free.Forum (AT) pamho (DOT) net [Free.Forum (AT) pamho (DOT) net]On Behalf Of

|Kanti (dd) ACBSP (Florida - USA)

|Malati (dd) ACBSP (Columbus - USA); Free Forum (Announcements)

|Re: ITV being cheated on

|

|This brings up a serious issue that devotees in general should be concerned

|with. The market of pirated copies of all kinds of cds, videos and tapes.

|Somehow or other the general population of Iskcon thinks it is okay to avoid

|paying the asking price by making copies or buying pirated copies of Srila

|Prabhupada's lectures or kirtans or other transcendental subject matter.

|

|The price of videos, cds and tapes reflects the entire cost of producing

|these things, not the cost of simply copying them. Sure anyone can make a

|copy of one of Srila Prabhupada's lectures on a cd for pennies, but to

|maintain the archives that allowed Srila Prabhupada's lectures to be

|preserved costs much more than a copy. Charging $108 for all of the lectures

|on pirated CDs does not make the transaction transcendental. The same is true

|for newer productions....the Memories videos come to mind. Much effort and

|work went into producing this wonderful series and the producers deserve to

|be fairly paid for this service.

 

Besides the obvious cost of production and fairness issues, there are subtler

issues concerning preserving Srila Prabhupada's copyrights. However, this isn't

the time or place for that discussion.

 

But there is an another aspect that seldom gets considered: There are many

religious groups who do business within their own communities and enhance their

wealth in the process. When community members give priority to trading with

each

other -- and do not resent a fair profit being made -- over time, everyone's

wealth increases. When money circulates freely around a community, there is

economic growth. When that money ceases to circulate, economic activity

gradually slows and there is less for everyone.

 

On the whole, ISKCON and its members are poverty stricken compared to other

groups with similar histories. We tend to condemn devotees who do business for

profit. We resent it when they don't give us their products or services for

free. We steal their work and engage it in Krishna's Service. ("Krishna's

Service" is usually a code-phrase most properly translated as "my service."

 

Think about it: if a devotee works hard to create something you want, but you

decide not to pay for it, then he has no money to pay you for your work.

Usually, it isn't quite as direct as that, but the principle still remains that

if you won't pay others for their work, sooner or later, the money won't be

available in your community to pay you.

 

Result? In the long-run, everyone stays poor. There is little money available

for donation to temples and other projects. This leads to dependence on

short-sited fund-raising schemes that further alienate our community members.

 

When will we realize that there are very good reasons governments have laws

against theft and offer protection to the creators of books, art, music, films,

etc?

 

Your servant,

Sri Rama das

 

[srirama.acbsp (AT) pamho (DOT) net]

[http://www.krishnagalleria.com]

[Guest guest]

On 4 Jan 2001, Srirama das wrote:

 

 

> When will we realize that there are very good reasons governments have

laws

> against theft and offer protection to the creators of books, art, music,

films,

> etc?

>

> Your servant,

> Sri Rama das

 

.. . . and The Veda base, the Folio. So many devotees have uploaded it without

giving any money in exchange. I really think it is unfair and not Krishna

conscious, even if you are chanting your 16 rounds!

[Guest guest]

One of the problems in this is the Archives itself. The Archives is too slow

and too expensive in marketing things. Mp3 and wave format have been out for

along time but the archives is procastinating and in the mean time loosing

out. Plus the prices they charge are really out of touch with the reality of

the income of the targeted market they have.

 

ys

Bhima das