Pirate.

The word alone strikes a chord with people. Everyone’s imaginations start flooding with pictures of movies and buccaneers on the Spanish Main during the early 18th century. Is that really all there is to piracy? Can it so easily be summed up in a Bruckheimer movie or two?

Hell no.

Piracy didn’t die when we hit the modern age — it just changed shaped. Don’t get me wrong, there are still people who commit piracy on the sea. However, there are so many different ways to pirate these days that to confine it to such a small definition would do pirates everywhere a disservice.

We’ll have to explore everything pirate related. Such as, what were the former codes of ethics for pirates (was there really a pirate code?)? Are there any modern iterations of such a code? Are there really modern-day pirates? Does everyone who is a pirate have to be on the water? What different types of pirates are there?

Stay tuned and these and many other questions will get answered. Not only that, but you’ll start seeing pirates everywhere, because they are everywhere, you just need to know where to look.

pi·rate – [pahy-ruh t] – noun, verb, -rat·ed, -rat·ing.
1. a person who robs or commits illegal violence at sea or on the shores of the sea.
2. a ship used by such persons.
3. any plunderer, predator, etc.: confidence men, slumlords, and other pirates.
4. a person who uses or reproduces the work or invention of another without authorization.

-verb used with object
5. to commit piracy upon; plunder; rob.
6. to take by piracy: to pirate gold.
7. to use or reproduce (a book, an invention, etc.) without authorization or legal right: to pirate hit records.
8. to take or entice away for one’s own use: Our competitor is trying to pirate our best salesman.

-verb used without object
9. to commit or practice piracy.

pi·ra·cy – [pahy-ruh-see] – noun, plural -cies.

1. practice of a pirate; robbery or illegal violence at sea.
2. the unauthorized reproduction or use of a copyrighted book, recording, television program, patented invention, trademarked product, etc.: The record industry is beset with piracy.