(design by Kristen Doran)Today I read a post on the blog Bloesem. Something about it got me thinking. Her point, or rather reluctant little thorn in her side, had to do with whether or not blogs should be copyright protected. She cited a site (not by name or link) that came quite close in ripping her off in content and styling. Naturally she's a bit irked and after some tongue biting got it off her chest.
As a would-be blog writer myself I naturally gave her plight some thought using the following scattered train. A) Who doesn't have a blog these days? B) That said, the likelihood of something truly original lessens and lessens as a result. C) What really IS original? I reckon almost everything creative idea that's passed through my mind is at best 50% original and of that half is consciously or subconsciously influenced by something I've seen, yesterday all the way back to when I was five. And D) We're on the cusp of some crazy new revolution that I can say I have first hand knowledge of being somewhat addicted to. The internet is infinity, opening up a ton of doors but quite often taking you there using the same narrow heavily traveled road built by five common facts of the day, one goofy viral video, celebrity scandal, and a handful of "now" and "it" artists that will hit every website and be forgotten tomorrow.
Not forgetting her beef, of course there is down right plagiarism (very different than inspiration) without a care in the world and that's about the lamest thing on the planet, but I try to remind myself it's the sincerest form of flattery... not that I personally am batting off the copy cats. I think the writer of Bloesem summed it up appropriately though, in saying that in the end the designer being highlighted on both sites ended up winning, which is really what half of this cyber journal business is all about. Kristen Doran certainly has a new fan in me.
As a would-be blog writer myself I naturally gave her plight some thought using the following scattered train. A) Who doesn't have a blog these days? B) That said, the likelihood of something truly original lessens and lessens as a result. C) What really IS original? I reckon almost everything creative idea that's passed through my mind is at best 50% original and of that half is consciously or subconsciously influenced by something I've seen, yesterday all the way back to when I was five. And D) We're on the cusp of some crazy new revolution that I can say I have first hand knowledge of being somewhat addicted to. The internet is infinity, opening up a ton of doors but quite often taking you there using the same narrow heavily traveled road built by five common facts of the day, one goofy viral video, celebrity scandal, and a handful of "now" and "it" artists that will hit every website and be forgotten tomorrow.
Not forgetting her beef, of course there is down right plagiarism (very different than inspiration) without a care in the world and that's about the lamest thing on the planet, but I try to remind myself it's the sincerest form of flattery... not that I personally am batting off the copy cats. I think the writer of Bloesem summed it up appropriately though, in saying that in the end the designer being highlighted on both sites ended up winning, which is really what half of this cyber journal business is all about. Kristen Doran certainly has a new fan in me.
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