
“For, substantially, all ideas are second-hand, consciously and unconsciously drawn from a million outside sources.”
— Mark Twain
Mark Twain wrote this in his letter to Helen Keller who was once charged and acquitted of plagiarism.
This quote came to mind when I immersed into Kirby Ferguson’s Everything is a Remix, a four-part documentary about the long history of creativity, originality and copyright. In this series, he gives a contemporary explanation of Twain’s statement. On how ideas are continuously told, retold, combined, alluded and altered in films, music, writings, artwork, technology — everything.
I, myself, have been a literary parasite (my own choice of words). There were many times when ideas are scarce and I cannot write from scratch. So I took inspiration from writers of the old and new. I’ve tried writing a poem that molded with Emily Dickinson’s and a fiction that borrowed a fellow blogger’s character.
I used to feel doubtful and fearful of unoriginality but Twain’s words taught me how everything builds on what came before. That it is not a failure of our creative integrity when we take inspiration from others and turn it into something that is unique to our voice. I see this now as a symbiotic relationship instead of creative kleptomania. I believe we can all be humble literary parasites while paying attribution with high regards.
There is a thin line, of course, between brazen plagiarism and honest innovation. Like I said, we should transform it into something that is not a copycat of the original. Find a unique angle, look closer to a specific detail, and from that idea, create an entirely new concept that is yours.
August 5, 2020 at 11:43 pm
I agree wholeheartedly!
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August 9, 2020 at 12:00 am
I so loved this!! A wonderful explanation of ideas and creativity! I often find seeds of inspiration in the works of others from just a word, tittle or thought that is different from the original source. It reminds me of the story of the blind men trying to describe an elephant and each coming away with a different viewpoint (great parable). Or an artist or photographer looking/shooting a model from 360 degrees. Each angle has a different feel and composition but it is all from the same original source. Love this!
xoxo
😘💕💖🌹
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August 10, 2020 at 8:46 am
Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet and commented:
Be Sure To Read This!!!
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