It seems there is a lot of "we don't know that" in terms of who is writing what, whose, and why. We simply don't know what's going on behind the scenes.
However, here is my opinion as a consumer and professional of matters broadly related to this topic.
To me, trustworthiness, honesty and integrity are gold. Further, as I've aged, I've become even less accepting of even white lies, as well as incomplete truths, not just those of others, but of myself as well.
Using content, or design for that matter, with permission is fine. It's not even necessarily lazy; that kinda depends. But it can still have negative ramifications.
However, outright copying and heavy borrowing (including "rewriting") are, IMO, more than lazy. It is plagiarism. I assume most of these professionals went to college. In college, one should have learned that your thinking and writing should be your own. The standard for plagiarism is pretty broad. Your writing, your content should be your own. Express your own thoughts in your own words.
So, to me, when people, without permission, base their writing/content on other's work/effort, plagiarism aside, they are demonstrating to me that they are lazy to some degree, and if not dishonest, then not completely honest, or at least not at a level of integrity needed to gain my trust and business. If they have pulled a fast one, or cut corners there, then where else will they do so? In their effort with me? In their review of research/information and, thus, in the information they subsequently provide me? In their attention to my specific needs?
Even with permission (which the reader/customer certainly doesn't know about), if I see such close similarity, I get suspicious because, again, there was less than full initiative and effort. Even on my site, I've borrowed some design and content from others, but I asked in all cases if they minded if I adapted what they had done. But, someone coming across any similar content might wonder about me, not knowing if I just pieced some of the info together from other's work.
Bottom lines:
1. Certainly don't borrow or adapt without permission.
2. It's best to show the initiative and effort to say what you want to say yourself. Just like we all were told in college: express your own thoughts in your own words. Otherwise, you run the risk of people wondering about you, if not calling you out on what you've "created."
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