Got To Catch Em' All: Plagiarism

The subject of plagiarism is a growing concern today. This article voices separate opinions of individuals on whether or not plagiarism is intellectual theft. The first argument states that the words and thoughts of others that are displayed to the public are intellectual property and that using them without citing the words or giving credit to the author is a major misdeed. The counter argument, however, is simply that there is no such thing as originality nowadays, but rather authenticity. So much has been said and done up to this day and age that everything is readily available to the public for use and almost nothing is new. Therefore, any collaboration of others’ work isn’t a misdeed, but simply a job that had to be done.

I personally believe that once an individual has released their words and thoughts to the public, those thoughts and words are no longer ones intellectually property. They are, instead, ideas to which may be built upon or rather used to make a point for an assignment or just simple conversation. In today's modern culture nothing is original, but has taken an idea from some sort of past thought or nomenclature. This usage of ideas or words may be considered plagiarism to some, but in my opinion it is simply admiration of this person that someone would use their thoughts for a paper. It isn’t plagiarism; it is a tribute. They shouldn’t require recognition, but should take silent pride in the fact that their “plagiarized material” is sprouting so far into society that one might find it on the internet for personal use.  If their pride for their words isn’t enough, then their egotism shouldn’t stop the world from using this material simply because someone else thought of it first.