Feds to audiophiles: You're all pirates now

It is obvious to me that greed is destroying the music industry. When I was a young man many years ago me and my friends exchanged albums all the time. Now sharing music is a crime punishable by excessive fines and more.
I do not want to take money out of the artist pocket but I think sharing mp3's helps spread the artist word and creates the buzz that musicians need to get their product out there.
Is it just me or was life was much simpler in the seventies.

Cruz, 100 buddies!!! I don't even KNOW 100 people let alone have 100 buddies. I would venture to guess neither do you or the majority of people reading this thread.
Dusty, those same 100 people will now pay to see this artist live in concert thanks to the exposure file-sharing has brought them.
It is wrong to punish people for sharing music without the intent to profit from it.

"The modern concept of mob rule is despicable"
Daffy Duck 1965

An artist composes a piece of music as a form of expression. Hence the moniker "artist". It is not a product to be purchased or sold. In fact I will go one step further in stating that it CAN'T be bought or sold. Once a melody is captured by an artist and that person adds lyrics then shares that melody with others it is no longer theirs. The composer still retains the "Rights" to his or hers song but it now belongs to all of us. To sing in the shower or on our drive to work. To the teenager with his beloved guitar, you can no more own a song then you can own the scent of a rose. It would be like drawing a circle in the air with your finger and stating that " I now own this piece of air". It can't be done. Writing a song is a labor of love. Like making a baby. From it's inception you nurture it, love it and give birth to it. Once your baby is born you no longer own it. It now becomes an entity all of its very own. Contrary to what many of you believe, real music is a talent not a manufactured product. An artist uses music as a form of expression and if their lucky some people may find it worth collecting, saving and sharing. Isn't that what art is all about?

Jaybo my friend, I know I hit the nail on the head when you chime in. The thought process in my previous post dates back to my days as a Deadhead. A band that actually encouraged taping and sharing their shows. They understood that once the note was played live it was a like a baby bird leaving the nest for the first time. They knew then what we all should know by now. Music belongs to the people. Without the fans their is no music. It is a two way street, the band needs the fans and the fans need the band. I'm not against the artist getting paid but to think music can be controlled is a very naive assumption. I thought that was obvious. When a tree falls in the woods it DOES NOT make sound. A sound needs ears to hear it.

"the morality of listening to a sound...."
"The information as been freed from the medium..."
Dusty, wise words from a man who appears to get it.
Music is after all just a sound and once that sound is freed from the composer it belongs to all of us and at the same time, none of us. It's a fairly easy concept to grasp.