Special offer

Inspirational Bromides - Do they Qualify as Plagiarism ?

By
Industry Observer with Retired

Do Inspirational Bromides Qualify as Plagiarism ?

Recently there has been a lot in the news about plagiarism and when I looked at the sources of all the news items, it occurred to me that if banal common phrases that have been commonly used for decades and decades by motivational speakers and even in many graduation speeches is plagiarism, then we are as a people in big trouble.

When inspirational bromides are phrased together, the similarities in many speeches by  many motivational speakers, politicians, teachers, students and yes even religious leaders all could come into question. If who said it first or who first put the word strings together into phrases matters, then the message can not really resonate because we are not hearing the real message but more likely the string of words and the order they have been said.

Have we as a people become so jaded that inspirational bromides or even full messages need to be dissected or cast in the light of inspection of where they were said or by whom they were first written.

To me this is the saddest statement of a free nation that leads the way in the world to inspire all of humanity for an enriched life experience .

And how all this has more recently been equated to those that cut and paste other people's articles or blog posts truly escapes me. 

 

 

Posted by

Click On Photo Below If You Enjoy My Blog

 Thank You !

http://activerain.com/social/subscribe/8657

 

 

Comments(10)

Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

William Johnson some people just live with it - and some people make a big issue out of it! Perhaps for personal benefits!

Jul 25, 2016 03:24 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

William loved this message from you:  If who said it first or who first put the word strings together into phrases matters, then the message can not really resonate because we are not hearing the real message but more likely the string of words and the order they have been said.

Needless to say the message has always been the same just new messengers....The Motivation Gurus of the 1920's to the 1960's to the 2000's and now have always been the same just new messengers... check out half of what Tony Robbins said was said by others before...Endre

Jul 25, 2016 03:56 PM
Bill Roberts
Brooks and Dunphy Real Estate - Oceanside, CA
"Baby Boomer" Retirement Planner

Hi William Johnson One of my favorite motivational speakers has a famous speech about "Just Do It" I wonder what Nike thinks about that?

Bill Roberts

Jul 25, 2016 11:56 PM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

William ... good luck trying to isolate who first said what. Good grief. 

And how all this has more recently been equated to those that cut and paste other people's articles or blog posts truly escapes me. 

Great fodder for a blog post 

Jul 26, 2016 03:12 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

I saw Melania's speech, and thought it very well delivered.  I didn't get caught up in the plagiarism thing after it was revealed that a couple statements were pilfered from Michelle's speech.  Sometimes I think we hear things others express, and it resonates with us to the point that it becomes part of us.  I think that may have occurred with Melania.

I also note that neither President or Michelle Obama criticized Melania for it. I like that sentence in Michelle's speech given last night, "When they go low, we go high."  I wish everyone felt that statement resonated!

Jul 26, 2016 09:47 AM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Myrl Jeffcoat , It appears in the speech that the person Melania gave her ideas to,  copied it down word for word from the phone call, not realizing that Melanie was actually reading those lines as conceptual things she wanted in the speech. But I still think that these phrases are common bromides spoken by so many others, perhaps in the same or different order. In other words, it was just not the big deal that was made out it. 

Jul 26, 2016 02:59 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

I sometimes say, "In the fairytale factory of my mind."  I didn't really know where I had picked it up from.  But recently learned I had pilfered those words from Robert Fulghum's "Everything I Really Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten."  I use the word, "pilfer" rather than "plagerize" because I'm hoping it is a lessor crime not punishable by death.  And, hopefully, I will never use the quote in a political speech!  

Jul 31, 2016 08:56 AM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

 Myrl Jeffcoat , It's a good phrase and my mind picks all sorts of stuff like that. After Adam and Eve, I think we have all been " pilfered " from the big pool of human genetic material. Minnows in an ocean of big fish. By chance or by design, he who doesn't get eaten becomes a big fish. 

Jul 31, 2016 09:41 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

William- I love your post and just found it today.  Sometimes it seems we look to find the negative or what's wrong with something or someone.  We all use common phrases and let's face it, thoughts are far from unique.  

Aug 16, 2016 06:29 AM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Kathy Streib , I cling to the old proverb that in the minds of Kings and their minions, there is nothing new or unique in their thoughts or verbal communications.

Aug 16, 2016 06:39 AM