It is your duty as a college student, and a forward thinking consumer, to steal as much music as possible. But before you run off to Sam Goody with your cargo pants, listen up.

Recently, the vice chancellor has sent a warning for all students to cease and desist from sharing copyrighted files on their computer. This process of P2P file sharing is illegal and can invite wrathful prosecution.

However, file sharing services started by the now defunct Napster are essential to the evolution of the music industry. Does this service undermine the profits of the record industry? Yes, of course. Does rampant file sharing take money away from the recording artists? Yes, there is no question here. Are we committing mass intellectual theft? Bring it on!

However, this service has created an aspect of the music industry that has long since disappeared: the love of music for the sake of the music.

By removing all of the packaging and promotion provided by the record industry, the only thing linking the artist and the listeners is the music.

We are no longer paying for the glamour and glitz of the record industry. The music is the only thing promoting the band itself. As a result, the bands will have to forgo appearances on MTV “Cribs” and actually hit the road to build a fan base.

It is not only our preference to download copyrighted material, but our duty in order to bring the music industry away from its current warped situation.

So download away and contribute to the illegal evolution of the music scene.