clarification

i seem to be having trouble making this clear to people, even though i feel like i’ve said it quite explicitly a million times (offline) – I completely agree that breaking the law is justified in many cases, including whenever you want if you’re a person who doesn’t care about the law.  What I think is bullshit is claiming to have ethical / carefully considered reasons for doing so if you don’t.

and for some reason i keep getting shit (lighthearted shit, but still) for jaywalking as though that invalidates everything i say.  first of all, I think lights except at huge intersections where it is impossible to see anything are stupid, and i think making everyone learn how to fucking look where they are going is way more efficient.  I loved living in Rome!  No one sat around waiting and NO ONE GOT HURT.  people just understood that it was their responsibility to be aware of what the fuck was going on in the road, and so it all worked out.  second, of everyone i know, i am THE MOST conscientious about crossing when it’s my turn.  I will walk to the end of the block and circle back to do so, and sometimes i’ll even wait if no one seems to be coming but it’s a pretty busy street so it is likely someone might come.  My feeling is that i want the cars to stop for me, so i should be willing to stop for them when it is their turn.

All that said, the point of the crossing rules is (as far as i can tell) to clarify whose turn it is (because we’re too stupid to take turns using the road without regulations) and to keep people from getting hurt.  Both pedestrians and drivers have the right to use the road, and since one of us (probably me) will get hurt if we don’t take turns, there’s a law.  If the law exists to protect our respective rights, I think i’m justified in believing that i’m not violating anyone’s rights by crossing if there is NO ONE THERE.  Nor am I endagering myself.

Since artists and publishers have the right to be paid for their work/property, it seems pretty clear that unless they willingly give up that right, we ARE violating the right by refusing to pay for it (unless we’re w/i our rights to “fair use” of their work as part of the general public).

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