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You're using logic and common sense...

Oops, sorry.

The arguments for song-swapping are always the same and read like a Letterman Top 10:
10. It's free, so it's not stealing.
9. Even if it is stealing, it's only stealing from the rich record companies - the artists never see the money.
8. The technology to do it exists, therefore I can.
7. CD's are too expensive.
6. Everybody does it.
5. Copyright law sucks.
4. Record companies suck.
3. Capitalism sucks.
2. I already own the CD.
1. Just try and stop me.

2. I already own the CD.

What's wrong with this one? What if I bought the CD but track 3 won't play because of a scratch? Can I download track 3?

"2. I already own the CD."

Actually, this one is reasonable. I used to download my VINYL to my hard drive and then to CD. Now I just take the SAME MUSIC I OWN ON VINYL from Kazaa lite.

Also, I have downloaded a lot from Kazaa, but nothing I would buy. I will do it out of curiosity and then delete it a day later - and sometimes while it is still downloading. Heck, I've been downloading for only a few months but haven't bought a CD in 6+ years.

The real problem with all this is that our culture is VERY QUICKLY identifying RECORDED music as something equivalent to your first month of AOL, or the free toy with a happy meal. It is not respected as something you would pay for.

Stopping all swapping would not take that aspect away. People would start getting their recordings from "unknowns" in MP3.com and other such stuff.

The whole music marketing industry has changed, like it or not.

Buying CD's is sooooo 20th century.