The Ethics of Buying Music

Music is something that flows through your veins like a sugary drink without the artificial flavors. As I pass by people walking on the streets of Manhatten, I have counted the majority of them wearing earphones or headphones. The little nubs of white are one of the most noticeable staples of American streets and schools. In my school, people are constantly wired, receiving melodies and harmonies personalized for their ears. But some find this music illegally, which I find an interesting practice.

One of the people I can single out for doing this is my brother. He always has his phone syncing to the computer so he can transfer his most recent files for later listening. He downloads it from the youtube-to-mp3 website, and it’s free, so my mom doesn’t see anything wrong in it. I don’t either, but I’d rather not.

I am at the other side of the spectrum- on my apple devices, I have bought about $100 worth of music (not a lot compared to one of my other friends). Although we are not poor in any aspect, my brother sometimes condemns me for this. “Why do you spend money when you could just get those songs for free?” is one of his frequent complaints. I shrug my shoulders and continue on my way.

Recently, I’ve gotten into the practice of not taking earbuds with me at all. I leave them unplugged if I do, and instead, I hum. It’s one of those pleasures that we deny ourselves nowadays, one of those things we did before we had walkmans or smartphones. I’ve taken to humming again, humming when I walk to school, humming when I walk down the hallways, or humming when I sit in the car. It’s quite relaxing, actually. Making music with your throat as you leave mistakes and intonation behind to focus more on the feeling the music gives you.

Although I doubt that my brother will start humming instead of downloading music, I encourage you to do so. It might mean the start of a new habit, and could be annoying to your family members, but humming will capture the essence of the music you love and reduce the need for music to constantly bombard our ears.