We hear over and over on ActiveRain that stealing is bad... Just don't do it. It's in the Guidelines. We hear it elsewhere too. "Thou shalt not steal"
The post "How to steal like an artist...." from Austin Kleon is hot. It's been tweeted a mere 3733 times to date. It's been "Liked" 222K +/ - times on Facebook... and counting of course.
"How to steal like an artist" is ALL the rage on the Internet, Twitter, my Google Reader and in my mailbox this dreary Saturday morning... The full title of Kleon's post is "How to steal like an artist (and 9 other things nobody ever told me.)" Austin Kleon an artist and writer from Austin Texas... wait he's actually from some cornfield in southern Ohio according to further down in his article.
Kleon, an artist and author...the author of the book "Newspaper Blackout" writes...
"Every artist gets asked the question, “Where do you get your ideas?” 
The honest artist answers, “I steal them.”
Blasphemy!
Blasphemy?
Blasphemy!
Honestly.
Really.
Kleon quotes the Bible...
"That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun."
Wow the Bible is a really old book by anyone's measure and already back in the day of Ecclesiastes there was nothing new under the sun? The book that has held up well over the years...with it's 2000 + / - years of newer stuff and it's really old stuff. Ecclesiastes is in the really "old stuff," isn't it? That book even says "Thou shalt not steal" or something like that...
Stealing is good? What does this have to do with ActiveRain or blogging?
Stealing or inspiration. Sometimes it's difficult for new bloggers to see the distinction but if you are wondering you are probably inspired. It is different for those who are trying to pass off someone else's work as their own... for the points... or to look like they are smart like the Wall Street Journal or the AP or an economist...
The book 'Newpaper Blackout' received the 2010 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Poetry. Poetry huh?
Photo Credits: The top photo is "my garden in a droplet.." The picture of the sun is from Columbus Ohio! It is a shopping area on Sawmill Rd., in northwest Columbus. Both photos the photographer is S Pisharam. The photos are licensed with a Creative Commons license which allows me to share them with you. Her profile says: "Born and raised in Cochin a beautiful coastal city in "Kerala", Green and beautiful Southern state in India, now settled in Columbus, a beautiful green and pleasant midwestern city, Capital of Ohio:) "
The sun photo below is Greg Donikian's "Y un dia finalmente me levante temprano" The photo is shared with a Creative Commons license too http://www.flickr.com/photos/misadon/ / CC BY 2.0
Stealing is good? "there is nothing new under the sun."
Color Caught Red Handed about plaigarism and taking credit for content that is NOT yours, for the points on ActiveRain which is soooo sad. Or perhaps it was NOT for the points. To sound like an expert on web design? There is a big, beautiful sun photo there from Greg Donikian in the post about color. Here it is. It could almost be Ohio, but it's not.
Damn the ActiveRain plagiarists
Taking your own photos is not always best
Blogging 101 - Don't be a user
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