I look at plagiarism in two ways. The first being the way everyone else feels about it. It just doesn't sit well with those who write something worthwhile only to see someone else use it as their own.

Okay so this stealing, and I've been a victim of it quite a bit lately as I've written several articles for the local newspapers only to find that some of what I wrote which is completely original has been used by another that can only write if they got the idea from someone else.

At first I was flattered that what I would write would be good enough for someone to steal. And I found this to be true in many ways as far as being taken advantage of. No matter how disgusting it is, the fact is that people less talented need to look to those who do have talent for originality, and when they use some of that material, it does show in a sense some form of flattery to the original author.

Since writing on Helium, it cracks me up to see something I've written whereas nothing has been done before, and then suddenly the idea itself is copied, however using their words

It's annoying, and I've wanted to gripe about it for sure. But let's face reality here. Unless we ourselves write about something we uncovered that no one else has, we are all guilty of using something of what we have learned that was originally done by someone else.

How else would we be able to know what to write about unless we ourselves did the fact finding on our own?
Everything we write about science, health, our universe etc. is all something that was done by someone else, and yet we can write about it putting our own spin on it and come off as though we are great in doing so.

I wrote an article in the local papers as well as presenting it on Helium. It was as original as ones own DNA. "Where do UFOs come from" was the title, and it was my own theory that no one ever in the past or present has come up with.
However, can I lay claim to being able to write such an article if in fact it weren't for those who discovered all the known facts about time and space or whatever else would be relevant to be able to even come up with ones own theory?

My theory was my own, but all the facts and figures that I was able to derive my theory from were all there for me to use so as to write about it.
So even though it's perfectly legal to do so, it is still something that is not of our own, and if we have a sense of pride, then as we use what we need to write an article, we have to know that we are just riding on the efforts of those who provide us with what we need to write effectively.

So I can take pride in that what I wrote about UFOs whereas no one else ever came up with the idea, even though they had all the same facts for which to arrive at such a conclusion. However, if I see someone else use the same theory, then I know I should have reason to be upset about it.
That to me is flattery while sticking their hand in your pocket.

So copying some of what we write may fall within the guidelines for plagiarism, we all are guilty to some degree, and should really use caution when doing so.
One important thing I've learned since joining Helium, and that is it has forced me to be more aware of my mistakes, and it has increased my knowledge of many things as result of having to rate others.

We all are learning from each other, and if some copy what we write, give them time and they will eventually want to be noticed for their originality rather than putting what they steal from someone else in their own words.

Learn more about this author, Richard Serra.
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