How pathetic am I?

[Amazone]

I don't think she was ever denying the existence of artists who do create for a living.

Nope, I wasn't.  My mommy-in-law is one.

And despite the fact that most comparisons regarding this and tangible things (bake sales, paints, et cetera) don't really work, people still draw their arguments from them.

Hmmm...  Maybe it's just me, and I'm being really dense (which is known  to happen on occasion), but I fail to see how the comparison doesn't work.  I paint and draw for a hobby, you (the theoretical you, not you you) sculpt stuff as a hobby, Joe Schmoe makes Sims2 stuff as a hobby.  What right do any of us have to charge money for something that someone could learn how to do for themselves?  Especially when that hobby is basically stealing someone else's hard work for their own greedy-ass monetary gain?  At what point does a hobby cease being a hobby?  When you make money from it - at that point, don't you think it becomes a profession?  At what point does this profession become thievery?  Well, when you're charging ridiculous prices for A: stolen code and B: something people could learn to do for themselves.

(Did that make any sense?  I've been out in the 95F sun for the past 3 1/2 hours.  My brain may be fried...)

Nope, it didn't make sense, too much sun   None of us shouldn't really work at all. There's money enough  for us all, to be lazy is healthy. Do you like your mommy-in-law by the way?

[Apsalar]

 However, a lot of the pay things I wanted so badly before turned out to be crap

´
I agree with that sentiment. So much of what I used to dream about downloading, I neved did download, because, well suddenly I could download it, and it wasn't worth the time it took to download even! (and I have a real fast connection). I was like, wtf - how could I think that was a good idea the first time I saw it!? And I didn't even have to download the stuff to find that out.

[fionaskye]

suddenly I could download it, and it wasn't worth the time it took to download even!

Maybe it's a case of "Oooooh, I want that because I can't have it.  But wait, I can get it, but it's not attractive to me anymore because I can have it easily."  Wouldn't it be really yay-worthy if everyone discovered the Booty and plundered it and saw just how craptastic the "gotta pay for it because it's sooo cool" CC really is?  Then everyone could tell the silly paysite owners to get stuffed because we're on to you and your ploy - the free stuff is better, not only because it's free but because it's just better!  HUZZAH!

*get all excited and passes around some rum*

[Apsalar]

suddenly I could download it, and it wasn't worth the time it took to download even!

Maybe it's a case of "Oooooh, I want that because I can't have it.  But wait, I can get it, but it's not attractive to me anymore because I can have it easily."  Wouldn't it be really yay-worthy if everyone discovered the Booty and plundered it and saw just how craptastic the "gotta pay for it because it's sooo cool" CC really is?  Then everyone could tell the silly paysite owners to get stuffed because we're on to you and your ploy - the free stuff is better, not only because it's free but because it's just better!  HUZZAH!

*agrees excitingly*

*get all excited and passes around some rum*

Yay!  

[redisenchanted]

Maybe it's a case of "Oooooh, I want that because I can't have it.  But wait, I can get it, but it's not attractive to me anymore because I can have it easily."  Wouldn't it be really yay-worthy if everyone discovered the Booty and plundered it and saw just how craptastic the "gotta pay for it because it's sooo cool" CC really is?  Then everyone could tell the silly paysite owners to get stuffed because we're on to you and your ploy - the free stuff is better, not only because it's free but because it's just better!  HUZZAH!

*get all excited and passes around some rum*

It really surprised me just how crappy most of this stuff is. The stuff that is good, can be found for free. That may be the biggest thing this site does.