On January 22, 2010, the Apple iTunes Store made available for purchase the Hope for Haiti Now album. Included in the $7.99 purchase are 20 songs, from various artists who participated in the January 22nd Telethon. Airing simultaneously, on over 60 major and cable networks, performances included notable artists, such as John Legend, Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, Bono, Dave Matthews, and Neil Young, just to name a few.
What does all of this have to do with technology? Well, most technophiles, like myself, rarely visit a music store to buy albums. Instead, we depend on electronic sources, like the Apple iTunes Store. Many, though, choose to visit an alternate store that I like to call The Special Internet Store. Its a magical place where music, movies, and other digital media are offered at steeply discounted (as in 100%) prices. The only labor required is usually through the installation and configuration of the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing or Bit Torrent applications.
While we have all heard a thousand (or a million) times that this is a crime of copyright infringement, illegal distribution, etc., the warning usually goes into one ear and out the other. The artist’s cries (remember Metallica?), echoing the theft of their intellectual property and monetary royalties, usually do the same. We say, "They’re already millionaires. What are they crying about." A quick search engine query reveals that the Hope for Haiti album is already queued up at The Special Internet Store for purchase. Before you open a new tab and start searching, stop for a moment and think with me.
Why is using a Bit Torrent or P2P application different this time? Well, in this case, it isn’t about stealing from the artist. As indicated on the iTunes Store, 100% of the proceeds go to aid earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. So, this time, if you were to purchase it in The Special Internet Store, it would really constitute stealing from people who have next to nothing. No one needs to be reminded that many of the already poverty-stricken victims of this disaster have already been robbed of their possessions, valued family heirlooms, their homes, their businesses, and, in many cases and most importantly, the chance to ever see some or all of their family members ever again. Do you really want to feel responsible from depriving them of some diarrhea medicine or a can of beans?
For this reason and at least for just this one time, both technophiles and regular computer users skilled at shopping in The Special Internet Store should take minute to think about how much better it will feel just to skip two, non-fat, double-shot Lattes at Starbucks and pay $7.99 to buy the album. After its downloaded, listen to it all the way through once. Anyone with a heart is bound to feel a tug of melancholy, as they listen to the haunting words that so appropriately fit this painful situation. Even if you have already donated once, twice, or three times, It really is worth the few dollars you’ll spend, to give just a little more. Thereafter, leave it on the iPod or iPhone "On-The-Go" playlist. Each time you hear one of these songs shuffled through the other 1,568 songs packed in their, you’ll be reminded that, on at least one occasion, you did something so simple that, in the sum total of things, helped others in ways we will hopefully only have to imagine and not actually live through ourselves.
Finally, if you found some sense in this article, take minute to Tweet It, post it to your Facebook wall, or email the link to a friend. Maybe, they can help out a little too.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=17d99734-b24b-4d45-9d26-6bd58f6cd888)
RT @GeekShui Don’t steal hope from Haiti – http://bit.ly/StealingHaitiMWD (A good message to spread.)