This bit is poetic in a different way. I was thoroughly amused by it and I think that it stands as a bit of romanticism towards the pirates of old and their culture.
It's very true that public brutality has been replaced by public shaming and "brutal" sentencing that doesn't come close to matching the crimes committed. I for one am glad that people are doing what they're doing on an individual level. Even more encouraging to me is how other countries have been reacting as of late. Again, the fact that piracy is something that has the rich and capitalistic as annoyed or worried as they are means it is something that should be pursued.