Thursday, January 28, 2010

Piracy (and Hypocrisy)

From My Perspective - - -

The NY Times posted an article on January 28th: Piracy At Sea. It refers to both Historic and current Piracy off the coasts of Somalia. The article includes: “There have been sea-going pirates throughout history - from plundering Vikings to 17th-century raiders who pillaged Spanish galleons. In recent years, a spate of attacks off the Horn of Africa has shown that piracy can still be highly profitable as well as dangerous. In Somalia, a country of grinding poverty and internal chaos, the pirate economy is booming…It has turned the waters into the most dangerous shipping lanes in the world…The pirates have spread themselves across thousands of square miles of water, from the Gulf of Aden, at the narrow doorway to the Red Sea, to the Kenyan border along the Indian Ocean…Somali officials said piracy started about 10 to 15 years ago as a response to illegal fishing. The country's tuna-rich waters were plundered by commercial fishing fleets soon after its government collapsed in 1991. Somali fishermen turned into armed vigilantes, confronting fishing boats and demanding they pay a tax. In 2008, more than 120 pirate attacks occurred in the Gulf of Aden, far more than in any other year in recent memory. Experts said the Somali pirates netted more than $100 million, an astronomical sum for a war-racked country whose economy is in tatters…On Dec. 29, The Piracy Reporting Center of the International Maritime Bureau said that pirates operating across the Gulf of Aden and along the coast of Somalia attacked 214 vessels in 2009, resulting in 47 hijackings.”

Another form of Piracy is discussed in a Book Review entitled: THE PIRATE’S DILEMMA - How Youth Culture is Reinventing Capitalism by Matt Mason. It references Intellectual and Creative piracy that is currently rampant. The author observes: “A pirate is essentially anyone who broadcasts or copies someone else’s creative property without paying for it or obtaining permission. Piracy transforms the markets it operates in, changing the way distribution works and forcing companies to be more competitive and innovative. Pirates don’t just defend the public domain from corporate control; they also force big business and government to deliver what we want, when we want it. Pirates produce 95% of all DVDs sold in China.” In terms of operational philosophy, the following is stated: “Current ideas from the philosophy of punk rock: (1) Do It Yourself. Don’t take your cues from the mass market. Set up your own business. Be creative. (2) Resist Authority. Anarchy is the path to a brighter future. (3) Combine Altruism with Self-Interest. Start out putting purpose before profit. It’s cool.” In a corporate sense, the author shares: “What happens when corporations charge so much for drugs that poor companies can’t afford them? “When the market fails and democracy is ignored, pirates should step into the breach. In this case, it was governments [India, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, Egypt, and China] in the developing world who became pill pirates, providing better health care…by stealing ideas. Three habits of highly effective pirates: (1) Look outside of the market. Where are the opportunities that the market has ignored? (2) Create a vehicle. Think Blogs for an example. (3) Harness your audience. It is the support that pirates get that enable them to go legitimate.”

Piracy is: “the unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product…” Hypocrisy is: “The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness…” Sadly, for Government and Marketplace proprietary rights, no ready solutions are forthcoming. Piracy lacks basic integrity and has become a game – “catch me if you can!” In the Spiritual area, one can find people who “fake it” and pretend to possess that which they do not have, It is identified as Hypocrisy. Control and Consequences become issues that are beyond human connivance – it has to do with eternal observation by God and personal accountability to Him. The Scripture gives all kinds of warning about hypocrisy and deeds done in the flesh, and the fact that one will be held accountable before God one day. In Romans 2:16, “…in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ…”, and Romans 14:12, “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” No one can (or will) escape the scrutiny of God or accountability to him! Don’t fake it – live legitimately and be known for your integrity! Consider these things with me!

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