Not arguing for/against DRM etc., it did come up in the comments as well... I've been thinking about this stuff for a bit, & wanted to throw a few thoughts out just for general info &/or interest purposes...
I'll start by saying that there are 3 sets or systems of laws we each deal with -- Natural, Societal, & Man Made. Whether we follow any particular law in either of the 3 is a matter of our individual cost/benefit analysis, e.g. if you believe a man-made law is unjust & following it would condemn your soul, ANY expected punishment if you were caught may seem a worthy price to pay -- OTOH you may not feel that strongly at all, regularly ignoring some rule of society that you might even find a bit silly, & in that case you'd fear government law enforcement much, Much more.
Natural law is said to be the set of rules that we're all born with, & they form the basis for our most deep rooted convictions -- they're actually the basis for most Government laws, e.g. the US Constitution. *However*, science & psychology show that we may not actually internalize those rules, may not be capable of deeply feeling or understanding them until around our early 20s, giving more than enough time for any indoctrination &/or influence to significantly alter what we believe in. That's how someone else can believe the opposite of whatever you hold sacred, perhaps even more strongly. Maybe an interesting note, there are said to be stages of development we all *normally* go through -- some anti-social disorders or types are stuck in the early childhood phase, while the last phase is thought to be not only rare, but dooms those folks to problems with whatever societies [maybe there's a reason for the image of the guru on the mountaintop].
Societal laws are basically the cultural mores you grow up &/or live with, usually a reinforcement of sorts for your concept of Natural law, only society can punish you in ways your conscience cannot. Also your interpretation of Natural law, i.e. right & wrong, may not be as strict, or may be stricter than what your society firmly believes as a whole, depending on the level of indoctrination you received growing up, personal inclinations, etc. Man made laws are usually an outgrowth of the rules & laws of the predominate societies, since no government can rule without the peoples' consent, even if that consent is given at the point of a gun. Man made laws have 2 big caveats however -- if they're not enforced they don't exist, & being enacted by individuals, they're as corrupt or honest as those individuals who put them on the books.
Copyright law is normally recognized as the 1st sort of DRM [I guess you'd call it ARM for Analog]. You've likely been taught that the principle is eminently fair, by textbooks & lesson plans that were coincidentally copyrighted. :) Back in history the average poor schmuck trying to make a living didn't have a lot of clout -- probably couldn't even address whomever was in charge -- so I'd imagine the earliest laws [much like those current] were initiated by those with clout, read money & power. The DMCA is widely thought to more deeply entrench that power -- you as a consumer have much less power than you used to [see Fair Use]. Add that those with the most power, e.g. the biggest &/or wealthiest corporations & unions, regularly not just abuse but create laws... those aren't political statements by any means, as a bit of research will surely point out worst cases of over-reaching that have found their way into the legal system as the offenders were challenged & often prosecuted. At any rate, my aim is not to say [or try to prove] that laws or (C) are unfair, but rather to say that those feeling that way do believe they have very solid ground to stand on. Remember, even if you very strongly disagree with their precepts, it pays to understand your enemy -- and if your feelings are not that strong, without understanding there can be no common ground for compromise.
Now back at the beginning I said it was all cost/benefit analysis, & it is. I also extremely briefly touched on the concept of Natural law. There's another psychological factor that needs to figure into all this... group think. Most people can be manipulated into thinking almost anything, especially if that way of thinking is perceived to be widely shared -- if you have or had a teenage daughter you know exactly what I'm talking about. It works with adults too, & it works for almost any topic. And Truth has absolutely nothing to do with any of it -- at all. Those influenced may seem to, often do defy logic, with some views & practices that are totally opposed, but ever so slightly different than strongly held core beliefs. Not to get into politics at all -- it's just the best example I can think of that shouldn't offend Anybody -- poll numbers repeatedly show that majorities of Americans do not approve of many current administration policies, practices, & actions, yet the very same polls show majorities of the very same people have regularly given the same administration high marks(?). The illogic would drive Spock nuts. But it's group think... If you personally favor the admin, then group think or pressure forced people to be critical towards policies etc., & if you don't like the current gov, group think's responsible for their high ratings -- no way to prove it either way. :) Both sides of any DRM debate are as guilty & as innocent -- none of us are Spock.
