You make the classic mistake of arguing against the record industry as a means for arguing against payment for intellectual property... While the record industry is involved in this, and they are the chief whiners, the overall situation is much greater. We have an entire generation of people around the world who see no point in paying for intellectual property.
This may actually be a situation in which society has made a decision to change its values, in which case the situation is irreversible, or will require a new generation before it can change. See: smoking, equal rights, etc.
Stuff changes. How long has copyright law been around? Are we supposed to believe that the entire human race was doing it wrong before us?
I'm not against copyright. I'm saying this is a shift of historical magnitude that no RIAA or MIAA or WTFIAA or for that matter anyone has the power to stop. Like anything, its effects will be both good and bad and depend on your point of view. For example, the record industry may consider it bad that they have less money for plates of cocaine in the boardrooms where they've swindled countless musicians out of their life's work. Personally I find that one rather pleasing.
This may actually be a situation in which society has made a decision to change its values, in which case the situation is irreversible, or will require a new generation before it can change. See: smoking, equal rights, etc.