You know, my last blog post has proven an interesting examination of society at large, or at least the Giant Bomb community.  Now I didn't expect everyone to sympathize with my venting, but I didn't expect the sharp polarization that I saw.  Now I'd like to take a moment and apologize to anyone who sincerely thought that I was advocating theft.  Looking back, I can see where someone could have taken it that way.  Just another case of "really, Yuko, you should read your shit before clicking the big red button."  However, my mistake has given me an insight into the binary nature of the debate, and how that's doing more to hold back a solution than achieve one.
 
On the one hand, we have people trying desperately to downplay piracy, trying to make it seem like it's less than theft.  Obviously it's stealing - you're taking something without that person's consent; of fucking course it's theft. 
 
On the other, we have the fervent crusaders, who believe that every pirate is the scum of the earth and that every corporation is in their complete right to be as oppressive as possible in dealing with it. 
 
These are the two most vocal sects, the ones that get all the headlines and push their agendas the hardest on the forums.  However, in reality, the issues at hand aren't that black and white. 
 
I'm reminded of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Now these wars are obviously more important than anything we're talking about, but there is one important parallel.  When the insurgencies began, the American media and political establishment painted the insurgents as nothing more than stereotypical bloodthirsty jihadists.  "They hate our freedom," as Dubya put it.  Our forces operated under that understanding, and were slaughtered in the years-long quagmires that settled in.  There was no headway in either conflict until the American forces began to recognize that while there were indeed lots of crazed jihadists in the bunch, including our favorite dickheads, as many were simply disaffected young men who saw no real future for themselves in their country.  While force was still utilized against those who were dead-set on using force themselves, the American military dealt with the locals, tried to expand their opportunities and stake in the country.  Now, Iraq is mostly a victim herself of Irani invaders, and is working to get its shit together, with more of her countrymen than before feeling a stake in preserving her, feeling that there is a future for themselves in her. 
 
Now, what does this have to do with piracy?  Very simple: undeniably the ESA are the allies, and the pirates are the enemy.  However, too many companies within the gaming industry are acting under the "they hate our freedom" mentality.  They assume that all pirates have the same motivation - theft at all costs, no matter what.  Naturally, there are many pirates who are like that, including our favorite dickheads.  However, just as many are disenfranchised, feeling no future for themselves in PC gaming.  Increasingly, the feeling among many is that the only choices are pirate or completely abandon PC gaming, neither choice particularly palatable, but the latter much more bitter to people who've loved the PC since the early DOS days.  Turning to consoles would likely make many die-hard PC fans wretch, and that's fine - the PC is of course their platform.  The fact is that while there are indeed many people who pirate just to get free stuff, there are just as many who see no other future.  While force should be employed against pirates that are dead-set in their ways, those who simply feel disenfranchised need to feel that gaming companies will try to work with them, rather than against them, punishing the pirates while leaving them to play their paid games however they please.  
 
At the same time, those who actually care about the PC platform need to understand that companies need money in order to make games.  The lights, air conditioning, employee salaries and that soda machine in the lobby aren't going to pay for themselves; without money, PC games can't be made, and that talent moves to the four winds, looking for other, more stable work.

In the end, neither side is completely faultless, and neither side is 100% worthy of the support of those watching on the sidelines.  This is a conflict that the hardliners on both sides have caused, using unfortunate circumstances and propaganda to widen their ranks among the less committed.

Is there an easy answer?  Fuck no.  However, there is nothing at all worth anything that comes without cost and without work.  The fact is that we need someone in the gaming industry who's willing to make the choices that don't come easy, because the path we're on now assures the destruction of the PC as a gaming platform regardless of who "wins," and in the end, that would be a tragedy.