Think Your Own Thoughts
I should probably just leave it at that. As a directive to the person who needs to be reminded that taking someone else's exact words, thoughts, and ideas is stealing. In fact, there is a fancy word for just this. Can you say plagiarism? But ,of course,given my personality, I can not just let it go.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I should consider myself duly flattered. But I don't. I prefer compliments along these lines:
Your children are beautiful, or
What you wrote made me laugh, cry, recoil in horror...whichever, or
my personal favorite, Your ass looks really small in those new capri pants.
Mostly I just want to scream copy cat and point my finger. But I won't do that either. This person knows who they are. I hope she is squirming uncomfortably in her chair. I'll make it easy for you, if you think I am writing about you, I probably am.
The first time I saw that this person wrote something eerily similar to something I had written, I chalked it up to coincidence. Even though the word choices and phrases sounded just. like mine. I didn't give it much more than a 'huh'
It happens doesn't it. In the words of Mark Twain, "Adam was the only man who, when he said a good thing, knew that nobody had said it before him." * I am sure that all of us have read or heard something, thought on it, and then subconsciously the idea or words have become our own. Or sometimes people just simultaneously have the same idea.
But then it happened again. And I thought, ' hmmm.'
And again. And again. It almost made me laugh. Almost.
But the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became. I have never thought that anything I have written has been particularly theft worthy. I am not a professional writer. However, I don't think that people coincidentally have the same ideas as another person more than once.
Unless they are psychic, which is a possibility I didn't even consider until just now. If that is the case, then that person already knows what I am thinking.
Shame on you.
* Oh look, giving credit to someone for an idea that was theirs. What a novel idea not to steal some else's EXACT words and pass them off as my own.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I should consider myself duly flattered. But I don't. I prefer compliments along these lines:
Your children are beautiful, or
What you wrote made me laugh, cry, recoil in horror...whichever, or
my personal favorite, Your ass looks really small in those new capri pants.
Mostly I just want to scream copy cat and point my finger. But I won't do that either. This person knows who they are. I hope she is squirming uncomfortably in her chair. I'll make it easy for you, if you think I am writing about you, I probably am.
The first time I saw that this person wrote something eerily similar to something I had written, I chalked it up to coincidence. Even though the word choices and phrases sounded just. like mine. I didn't give it much more than a 'huh'
It happens doesn't it. In the words of Mark Twain, "Adam was the only man who, when he said a good thing, knew that nobody had said it before him." * I am sure that all of us have read or heard something, thought on it, and then subconsciously the idea or words have become our own. Or sometimes people just simultaneously have the same idea.
But then it happened again. And I thought, ' hmmm.'
And again. And again. It almost made me laugh. Almost.
But the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became. I have never thought that anything I have written has been particularly theft worthy. I am not a professional writer. However, I don't think that people coincidentally have the same ideas as another person more than once.
Unless they are psychic, which is a possibility I didn't even consider until just now. If that is the case, then that person already knows what I am thinking.
Shame on you.
* Oh look, giving credit to someone for an idea that was theirs. What a novel idea not to steal some else's EXACT words and pass them off as my own.
25 Comments:
Another blog I read this morning was talking about the same thing. Someone was stealing her work. That is ashame people cant think and write for themselves.
I enjoy your site and always look forward to your next post! Keep up the good work!
Ok, so you know this just makes me wish that I had the time to pull stuff from your blog and google it until I find out who you're talking about. Fortunately my schedule won't allow me to be this obsessively voyeuristic. (Or unfortunately since I'm grouchy about it -- too nosy for my own good!)
I am continuously shocked that this seems to be so prevalent amongst bloggers. It seems so odd and slightly sick of people to be stealing other people's personal stories and passing them off as their own.
Anyway, I really like your blog and the stories and pics of your beautiful babes.
Oh, and your thighs look really skinny in those pants you are wearing today : )
Darn, why was I born so nosy??!! :-)
hmmm... so, obviously you read your words at a blog that YOU read and could that mean it's on your link list of favorite blogs??!! or 'used' to be on it??.. questions, questions...
Sorry for this blantantly happening, but do you feel better knowing that I have never read anything I read here anywhere else??? hope so.
Life happens and so does 'stuff'... hang in there...
Alright...I read here every day. I don't know you but I like to pretend I do. So...as your imaginary friend, I would just like to say: LINK THE WENCH so we can go give her the what for! :)
I know I didn't copy your posts so why am I paranoid?
I'm sorry...that isn't right at all but some people are just wacky like that.
I too was wondering for a second "Could it be me????"
Because I love reading your blog and what if I subconciously started posting things that sounded like you?
But you sound pretty serious so it must be more than a general likeness to your posts.
Feel free to e-mail the site address to me so I can satisfy my curiousity. :)
(when I switched to blogspot the first template I chose was the same as yours. I didn't realize it was until after I had chosen it but then I decided to switch because I didn't ever want you to look at my site and think I was copying yours. Isn't that funny? It would be even funnier if I WAS indeed the copycat you refer to)
Mary
I think you need to let us all know who the culprit is! Today alone I've gotten five hits from this entry...people probably trying to see if it's me!
Nope, not going to name names.
The person who did it knows who they are, I am sure of it.
I also do read blogs that are not listed on my sidebar, those are just my favorites. Though, given that criteria, I should put this person on the top of my list ;-)
If you are on my blogroll on the side bar consider all the extra traffic to your blogs today a little present from me LOL
Oh my goodness. I find myself combing through your latest entrys seeing if in some inadvertant way I may have copied you. lOL
This is intimidating stuff!
You poor girl. That's just low down wrong!
"Imitation is the sincerest of flattery."
~Charles Caleb Colton
like many of those commenting here I too am paranoid. Especially given all the extra traffic I've been getting from your blog because of this post!
Well, I am fairly sure that wouldn't be me, unless you have a psycho ex-boyfriend, an Italian mother, and an uncanny ability to attract assvice about your boobs and the function God made them to perform.
Did said copy cat ever fess up?
I have thought about writing about my kids the way you do ;-) But three reasons I do not:
I don't have as many,
I am not as funny as you are
and You do it better than anyone could! So *copycat* grow up and knock it OFF!
Seriously, I have had this issue with other things with a blogger, and I have had to bite my lip and let it bleed - I just have to many other issues of urgency to deal with than to waste it on such immature people.
I love your writing and am sorry this has happened!
eb
LOL, I have the same sort of feeling I get when I see flashing blue lights - sort of guiltily anxious, even though I know I'm not speeding.
And add me to the list of people who're consumed with curiosity ;-)
I only recently started reading your blog and blogging myself, and I'm enjoying it! I never would have thought people would steal content from others' blogs! ARGH! It does bother me when people IRL plagerize (sp?), so way to give your culprit the what-for!
i'm also wishing i knew who it was.
and another person who wishes she could write as well as you!
dang, the one above is from me:
Rachel
kjsl.com/~imacmom/agog
Glad I'm not the only paranoid one. Anyway, I haven't posted a whole lot in the way of words recently, just photos. After all, when you have as photogenic a baby as Jay, what's the point of writing? ;)
This has been so funny to me, why do you all think it might be you. It isn't!
I took down the previous comment because I was NOT talking about her!!! Denice, I consider you a friend, aren't we looking for those necklaces ;-), and I would never post something about a person I am friendly with in a public forum.
It isn't anyone that I "know", nor has this person ever posted on my blog before, that I know of. It is difficult to be vague and give details at the same time, isn't it?
I really don't want to name names or give "clues" as to the persons identity. I don't think it will happen again, at least I hope not.
I know I'd be frightened of all of you LOL
And look, I added a little copyright thingy to the bottom of my blog. Not sure what it really means other than it felt procative. So go get one of your own too :-)
Hum ..very curious I must say. I don't have a blog so I know it isn't me lol. I am even more curious about what thicketdweller said that needed removing? Ilove your blog and read it everyday.
Geez, Chris. Can't I even post a comment without you deleting it? :-P
That was a joke, folks. :-)
My comment essentially said that I'm incredibly awesome and everyone should flock over to my blog to see that it's not me who's copying Chris, although, God knows, I wanna be just like her. :-)
Thanks, Chris, for taming my myopia. Is that a word?
Im sorry to hear someone is using your stories and ideas as their own.
In a way I find it fairly funny though (in a sarcastic sort of way), I mean, come on...their life is that damn boring that they cannot even write about something that *actually* happened in their own life, that they have to use someone elses story?! That is just SAD!! But there are a lot of people out there in this world who are like this...People who would rather use someone elses life as their own, for the sake of someone thinking they are boring!
Oh crap! (This is really late) I know I don't have an original thought in my head. I hope this isn't more proof. If I did, I didn't mean it!
Hi Chris - I am a blog lurker, and want to admit that I found your blog from another blog link. As a mother of 3 boys (13,13,10), I love you. I love your candor. I love your humor. I can relate to each and every one of your posts, because I've lived it too.
I have my own blog for my business and have recently been plagued by this very issue - not from my blog, but from my website. It's incredibly disturbing. I liken it to being kicked in the stomach. I don't know what people are thinking these days. I think the Internet has done its' job of removing so much personalization that others forget that there is a person and a heart behind whatever goes on on our pages.
I've confronted those who have copied from me. At the very least to let them know that I know, that it isn't okay, that it is illegal, and that I do and will contact my attorney.
Best of luck. Please continue doing what you are doing. It's helps to know we moms aren't alone!
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