It's All Plagiarism

According to a quote attributed to Shakespeare, there is "nothing new under the sun." No new ideas, no new words, no new metaphors, no new imagery, no new nada. So what was Hillary's camp thinking when their best laid plans led them to hurl the charge of plagiarism over Obama's bow?

My scalp, raw from repetitive clawing, begs for relief. I've finally stopped scratching, but I am still stumped. The situation reminds me of some TV promotions, so slick, almost flawless in their cleverness, and yet I cannot tell you what product they were shilling.

I cannot recall what Obama was supposed to have lifted. What I do remember is a scowling Hillary trotting out both the allegation and the conviction with her characterisitic smugness. Obama, rallying his charm and honesty, cops to accepting the line (what was it again?) from his campaign co-chair and personal friend Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts.

Hillary should be ashamed, especially after parroting a rehearsed glib one- liner intentionally mischaracterizing Obama's slogan. The obvious lift from a million-dollars-a-month advisor who undoubtedly directed her to make sure she delivered that barb at some point when she felt she was in command did more to undermine Hillary's credibility than any fleeting titter of approval she received from her supporters in the UTA crowd at the debate.

We all blur the contours of so-called originality. I pass jokes off as my own all the time, having long ago lost the source. I have incorporated some of the best pedagogy I know from professors whom I admired for their style and substance. When I give solicited or unsolicited advice, who knows where that widom or detritus originated? Crediting the masters is a often fool's errand.

Let's be clear, there are times when attribution is mandatory. When we research, publish, or proffer oral or written work as our own for a benefit (grades or professional evaluation) or profit (financial or psychic), the obligation to fully disclose all our sources is our only ethical, moral, or legal option.

Now that I think about it, maybe Shakespeare did not shape the observation that there is "nothing new under the sun." Does Ecclesiastes ring a bell? As for that source...

I suppose you are wondering why I asked you here today...

I had an epiphany a few weeks ago. Well, maybe not a full-blown revelation, but an eye-opener, nonetheless. I realized I am a closet blogger! Lots of my friends blog. They maintain on-line diaries, contribute regularly to creative writing communities, and advocate for their personal or political causes. But me…I am more of a drop in, drop my load, and run fast blogger.

Case in point…the New York Times. I can’t help myself. I read an article, the topic grabs my attention and I am off! The most recent post concerned flying, specifically, why we do it. Of course, I am not half the frequent flyer as most of the contributing bloggers, but my post appeared. It even generated some specific responses. This, of course, is the high point for me. Most times, my comments dapple the landscape of a generally more verbose, colorful, and incendiary array of commentary. But I don’t care if most readers pass me by. I do it because it feels good. Occasionally, I visit an academic blog of an erudite law professor whose blog I link to from a listserv to which I am totally unqualified to post. That doesn’t stop me. Usually, I hurl what I believe may be comic relief when the scholarship gets so dense even Socrates would cop a headache. Sometimes I actually make them laugh. But I don’t care if no one laughs. I do it because it feels good. In a moment of introspection, I realized that sometime during my early childhood I must have decided everyone was entitled to my opinion. The blogosphere has become my Great Enabler. I don’t see myself as a regular contributor to any blogspot. Too much pressure! Too much like work! I can’t even handle the thought of a bowling league. You know the having to be somewhere every Tuesday night at 7 p.m.? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It just doesn’t feel good.

Encouraged by Linda (see her Blog as Trudger), I took the plunge. Welcome to my BLOG!