Famous Cases of Plagiarism: More Than a Tradition, Practically an Institution

With many new online writers currently facing the ugly realities of plagiarism for the first time, a misconception is mounting that plagiarism is a relatively new phenomenon; one only perpetrated by the untalented, inept, or simply unscrupulous.  In a very real sense, however, although it is always frowned upon and often leads to lawsuits, plagiarism is a facet of writing that has co-existed with legitimate writing for all recorded history, a fact that itself, owes much to the practice of plagiarism.  And while all legitimate writers certainly have the right to be incensed by the flagrant pilfering of their hard-researched material, it’s important to keep in perspective that plagiarism is practically an institution unto itself, possessing a rich history all its own.  Read more . . .

The Invention of Writing

Most historians agree that more than any other human achievement, it was the invention of writing that untimately brought the seeds of “civilization” to fruition.  The taking of this unprecedented step some 5000 years ago made it possible to preserve thoughts and experiences that had previously been entrusted to the realm of oral tradition, wisdom passed generation to generation with hopes that key elements wouldn’t be lost.  Essentially, the invention of writing provided a maintenance of social ideas that allowed complex societies to develop and empires to be built.  Read more . . .