I think that, yes, if I can make a copy that costs me zero euro, then the delivered work has no value. It is just... maths.
In short, why producing some stuff with no value, instead of trying to get money from that through other means? Once again, there are plenty of ideas, artists be creative, that is your freaking job after all!
It looks like most of them just like the comfort associated with signing for a music major.
If I just wanted to make one thing clear in this debate, this would be the following: copying a digital file is not stealing. Stealing is taking away a good from someone. When I go to a store, grab a DVD and run away with it, I steal it: the DVD is no longer in the store. The original work is still there, but it will cost something to create a new plastic-made DVD to compensate. When I illegally copy a movie online, nothing is stolen: what is missing on the other hand? The object "movie" was copied thanks to immaterial property. You cannot copy a DVD today. Not in the sense that, you put the DVD in a machine, and voilą, a new DVD is created out of thin air.
This is the very technological reason why there has been a debate for 15 years.
Let's take another example. Linux is, whatever you think, a great accomplishment. Just do not just think of the ratio of Linux users on the desktop (think servers, super-computers and... Android!).
And it comes for... free. As in beer AND as in speech. It costs me zero euro to download it (save power). This does not mean the development cost is zero euro, far from it. Many people get paid for that. How does it work? Well, many major companies hire excellent programmers to regularly add some stuff to the kernel.
I am not going to propose several solutions for every field concerned here. Just, it does not come down to just producing some stuff and sell it through digital files.
Also, many people understand the need to support creation. Many, many examples show that people are willing to give financial support to musicians, movie makers, etc. And it works. And they still get a digital copy in the end. But they do give beforehand.
Another example: Humble Bundles for video games. This has been a large success for independent video game studios many times. And Linux users gave more than users of other desktops BTW.
You cannot prevent people from sharing anyway. France has tried hard to do so and has miserabily failed (Hadopi law).
And of course you would be amazed to know how much artists actually get from selling music: peanuts. Intermediate agents get most of it. Why should we support this?
I agree that piracy is illegal. What I propose is that it becomes legal.
Why? Because I think it would be fair (and logical). When the law is outdated, just change it!