Ethics, Morals, and Material (Plagiarism?)

[Shaf]

Compare and contrast these two pieces.

Jason Ferruggia, published today over on EliteFTS. "Wake me when I'm Dead"

Wake Me When I’m Dead

Mark Twight's "Twitching" piece published on his GymJones.com site quite a while ago.

Gym Jones - Knowledge - Twitching

There's a remarkable coincidence of similar things between the two.

[Keith S.]

Ok, so I read Twight's piece first (mostly because it was published first) and then moved on to JF's piece, which I only glanced over. I think the reason I read the first one through and the second one...not so much is because, well the first one had a better opening. I mean as a writer you need to grab the reader's attention, but maybe I think it was better because it was new at the time, whereas the second piece is so similar to the first that it made it less interesting.

Anyhow, there are things that are very similar in both pieces, such as the tone of the article. I would expect it from Twight because Gym Jones seems to be able attitude. Whereas someone like JF you would see would want to inspire people, but make his writing geared to a broader market (even though this was posted at Elite FTS). The ideas were generally the same...you know what I'm done. At least he didn't use the quotes from the songs that Twight did....

I wouldn't necessarily call it plagiarism, but the idea of the piece was very similar. But then again 899/900 fat loss articles are the same rehashed bullshit as well...

[Shaf]

I wouldn't necessarily consider it plaguarism either, however, the similarities are uncanny (the shaving, music, and corporate imagery).

[kuri]

I was going to post this.

But they are both riffing on the same idea Rollins, a better writer by far, put forth before either of them: Henry Rollins on Iron

[Chris Correia]

It might not formally be plagarism, but I'd grade it pretty poorly as a prof if I were aware of the other piece. At least improve on the concepts in the original piece that inspired you.

Let's just broaden this out to the larger question of lots of people, say fitness professionals (broadly speaking) putting out similar info.

I have pretty rigorous standards; come up with your own stuff or don't write it/speak it. If you do draw upon someone else's work, quote it or credit it. At least reference what inspired you.

Granted, there is very little under the sun, so it's hard to be completely original.

So, if people can't be original, then maybe it means there are too many people trying to sell themselves doing the same stuff.

[Ian Kay]

Since the word keeps popping up, it's spelled:

plagiarism

I changed it in the thread title.

[Keith S.]

Originally Posted by Ian Kay

Since the word keeps popping up, it's spelled:

plagiarism

I changed it in the thread title.

FYI, I spelled it correctly. (Thank God for spell check in Firefox)

[Jean-Paul]

What? I thought we were talking about deliberately spreading Bubonic Plague...

[Keith S.]

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

What? I thought we were talking about deliberately spreading Bubonic Plague...

I dont get it...

[Chris Correia]

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

What? I thought we were talking about deliberately spreading Bubonic Plague...

Meaning JP thinks it's OK.

[Jean-Paul]

Originally Posted by Keith S.

I dont get it...

Plagurism... Just making a play off the misspelling. Plagurism is the deliberate spreading of the plague... Get it?

I know, I'm not funny. Some people have it (like Red Lefty) and some people don't (uh, that would be me!).

[Chris Correia]

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

Plagurism... Just making a play off the misspelling. Plagurism is the deliberate spreading of the plague... Get it?

LMAO I didn't note the original misspelling. Actually that was pretty funny, JP. It just wasn't obvious.

[Keith S.]

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

Plagurism... Just making a play off the misspelling. Plagurism is the deliberate spreading of the plague... Get it?

I know, I'm not funny. Some people have it (like Red Lefty) and some people don't (uh, that would be me!).

It would have been funnier had this whole thing happened in conversation, however in type it's a little harder.Good one though.

[Lost Dog]

Misspellings are harder to come by, verbally...

[Jean-Paul]

Thanks for letting me down gently guys!

[Shaf]

Brutal.

I ususilly spel chek, u no?

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

Thanks for letting me down gently guys!

Does it make you feel better or worse that I knew EXACTLY what you meant? And, I thought it was funny.