IP in NYC

Before I took this class, I always thought about IP in a very provincial, innocent, and arguably ignorant and basic way. Basically, I thought merely about copyright. Not necessarily even about copyright in the larger sense of what it encompasses in the entire realm of IP, but mostly just about books, literature, and a bit about illegally downloading music. Moreover, I never noticed copyright infringement in my every day life, nor did i think that I knew any "copyright infringers." However, throughout the course of this class I have come to realize that I meet, see, and witness copyright infringers/infringements on an every day basis. The problem is, these infringements/infringers do not have a negative effect on me, but rather a positive effect. At work, we take turns blasting each others playlists throughout the store, music that Rugby is definitely not licensed to play. On the subway, people walk through the trains singing and playing music for tips. Walking down the street, people dance, perform, and play music that is most likely not licensed to them. Although these are all examples of copyright infringement, none of these examples negatively effect or take away from the average person. I would argue, instead, that they add to the culture, atmosphere, and excitement of NYC.