If you're genuinely and honestly "starving," how do you acquire the strength to follow dramas or hang out on MDL debating hyper-privileged, hypocritical, uncritical thinkers such as myself?
Again, I empathize with your situation, which is why I am addressing "you" in the universal sense. (I mean to address all MDLers seeking and posting information re: bootleg/pirate websites.)
That said, you ( the particular you) are rationalizing your actions.
Whether or not AI-generated art violates intellectual property rights is still a matter of dispute. At the very least, it must be scrutized on a case-by-case basis.
Stop deflecting. Just because somebody else may be infringing on the rights of Chinese artists doesn't justify your doing so.
Just so you know, I don't mean to pick on you, which is why I am using the universal "you."
But I constantly see MDLers casually seek and post information about illegal websites as if they're not doing anything wrong, so I decided to finally speak up.
You don't have any idea what country I come from or what I think of it.
It's a matter of principle. Are you saying it's okay for you to steal from someone just because they're richer than you? (Again, I am using "you" in the general sense, not necessarily talking about you in particular.)
You (the particular you), however, are going to do what you're going to do and get away with it. You can rationalize your actions all you want with your sob stories. But there's a reason why bootleg websites with pirated content are illegal. If you're not stealing from Chinese artists, you're stealing from their companies. What they're worth is completely irrelevant; it's still theft.
Your country government made the ill-advised policy, so you just have to live with its consequences just like you do with any other ill-advised policy your government makes.
Just because your country made the silly, ill-advised decision to ban Chinese (entertainment) apps doesn't give you the excuse to steal from Chinese artists.
Being ethical isn't being "self-centered" and "petty." Your country is the one being self-centered and petty by sanctioning Chinese apps under the guise of "national security."
By "you," I mean the universal "you," not you in particular.
She says A Zan. If they put A before the surname is a form of familiarity and endearment.
Yes, I agree that Western middle names are optional, but all parts of the Chinese given name are necessary. I was only pointing out that you were using first name to refer to both parts of the given name when "first" name could be confused with only the first part of the given name (the "generation" name).
At any rate, thank you for your time and effort. This has been a meaningful discussion.
She says A Zan. If they put A before the surname is a form of familiarity and endearment.
I think I understand what you're saying. I am merely suggesting that to a Westerner (as opposed to a Chinese person), the personal name would be considered the "middle" name by order of sequence. For example, Ze (first) Dong (middle) Mao (last).
It's possible that I am not making myself clear. In any event, I appreciate your very interesting input.
She says A Zan. If they put A before the surname is a form of familiarity and endearment.
You're using first name and given name interchangeably. I'm just trying to clarify the issue for others who might be interested.
The second part of the given name (or third character in a 3-character name) corresponds to the Western middle name.
For example, let's look at Bai JingTing. His given name (what you refer to as his first name) is JingTing and you could call him "Ah" Ting. That is the second part of his given name. By Western convention, it would be his "middle" name: i.e., Jing (first) Ting (middle) Bai (last).
She says A Zan. If they put A before the surname is a form of familiarity and endearment.
The third character in a Chinese name (which follows "ah") corresponds to the (Western) "middle" name. (Of course, some Chinese names have only two characters.)
The "first" name is the second character of the 3-character Chinese name (or the first part of the GIVEN name, which is made up of the second character/first name and third character/middle name combined). This part isn't used in terms of "ah."
1 
That said, you ( the particular you) are rationalizing your actions.
Stop deflecting. Just because somebody else may be infringing on the rights of Chinese artists doesn't justify your doing so.
But I constantly see MDLers casually seek and post information about illegal websites as if they're not doing anything wrong, so I decided to finally speak up.
It's a matter of principle. Are you saying it's okay for you to steal from someone just because they're richer than you? (Again, I am using "you" in the general sense, not necessarily talking
about you in particular.)
You (the particular you), however, are going to do what you're going to do and get away with it. You can rationalize your actions all you want with your sob stories. But there's a reason why bootleg websites with pirated content are illegal. If you're not stealing from Chinese artists, you're stealing from their companies. What they're worth is completely irrelevant; it's still theft.
Your country government made the ill-advised policy, so you just have to live with its consequences just like you do with any other ill-advised policy your government makes.
Being ethical isn't being "self-centered" and "petty." Your country is the one being self-centered and petty by sanctioning Chinese apps under the guise of "national security."
By "you," I mean the universal "you," not you in particular.
Maiden Holmes
By reading your post, I wasted so many nanoseconds that I will not get back.
At any rate, thank you for your time and effort. This has been a meaningful discussion.
It's possible that I am not making myself clear. In any event, I appreciate your very interesting input.
The second part of the given name (or third character in a 3-character name) corresponds to the Western middle name.
For example, let's look at Bai JingTing. His given name (what you refer to as his first name) is JingTing and you could call him
"Ah" Ting. That is the second part of his given name. By Western convention, it would be his "middle" name: i.e., Jing (first) Ting (middle)
Bai (last).
Thank you for the opportunity (excuse) for me to nerd out!
The "first" name is the second character of the 3-character Chinese name (or the first part of the GIVEN name, which is made up of the second character/first name and third character/middle name combined). This part isn't used in terms of "ah."