I’m thinking of it like Facebook is a book (well, a journal that’s a compendium of everyone else’s writing). You’re only allowed to read from it while Facebook holds the book and turns the pages for you. If you pick up the book and turn the page yourself, you’ve taken possession of the book, which is theft since they didn’t give you permission.

I think that's absolutely how Facebook wants it to work (as well as many other website operators), but absolutely opposite of how the process physically works. Also, I wouldn't equate copyright violation (especially non-commercial) and theft.

What I mean is that is how Facebook wants it to work.

It has nothing to do with sanity.

With rare exception, law in the US is "More Fair" the more money you have. So yes, reading the body of law from that perspective should provide significant clarity as to why the ruling was done that way.

>law in the US is "More Fair" the more money you have.

I've read enough history to know this isnt exclusive to the US, but rather the same in every country in human history.

Only religion, politics, and birth-right seem to have any pull similar to money.

In school I learned that my country is a democracy, but I grew up to learn it is practically a plutocracy. I count on crowd funding platforms to help the majorities confront the titans. I witness this battle all the time

Agreed. Also, those are all categories that notably correlate strongly with money.