Debate: Downloading

I'm sure this has been done before, but i figure something simple to get started XD

So downloading music and TV/movies, is it right or wrong?

Obviously not from places like amazon or itunes, but from megaupload etc.

Is it OK if you only do it a little and don't sell or share the files you download?

Are you just as bad if you *upload* the files? Or if you get them from a friend you know has downloaded them from?

Is it really 'stealing' if you don't have anything physical to show for it?

Is it the same as watching or reading things online like TV series or manga?

Well I guess I'll go first in responding o.o
Well in my opinion which I'm not claiming any moral high ground on would be it's alright to just get it to watch it and watch it online because I don't really notice a difference between downloading it and watching it online. Like almost everyone there is we can't afford to buy it. I mean even buying 4-6 TV shows a month is EXPENSIVE and like a lot that still doesn't cut it and you can only rewatch stuff so many times before it is boring like no other. Manga is also REALLY expensive in the states they have such a mark up from what it is in Japan making it unaffordable to buy as you want. Like 8-12 dollar a volume lets say and 400-750 dollars for 50 volumes of One Piece and I mean do we really have 400-750 dollars laying around for manga every month? I mean I could probably read all that and still need more in just one month. From this view point it is unreasonable for younger people 14-25ish range to buy this stuff we don't have that kind of money unless we are some super rich kid.
I always try to support what I like the most and buy all my favorite manga/anime when I can but it isn't very possible sometimes there is so much I want that I can't get. I always download/watch online with the intent to buy later on if the show doesn't turn out to be horrid. The worst thing that can happen is waste a 1/5 or so of your monthly manga/anime money on a series that looked good but turned out to be sh!t you can't even stand to finish.
As for sharing like irl it is totally cool but once you start charging money be it online or in person I think that is totally illegal and that is terrible I mean you stole it in the first place.
Even if you do it a little once you have started it will grow to a lot sooner or later it is like a drug it seems, and I don't see it fit to brag about how much pirating you have done because those files really aren't yours it just seems ridiculously silly to, but for whatever the reason my brother seems fit to, but he has so many issues like that I don't even know where to start.