Journal #4

Remixing, according to Lessig, simply means that someone is drawing influence from other works to create something new. J.Cole, states "you were inspired by the world, now let the world be inspired by you". Here, he means that no one is one hundred percent original, and we should all share ideas. The composing framework of remix of assemblage teaches us several things about composing practices. Remixing is inevitable, but it must be done so in a tasteful way as to not offend the originators. We gain new perspectives on old subjects through this practice of remixing, become more connected to the original work, but the work may lose its uniqueness in the process.

A Thomas Sowell (political commentator) quote that rings true for me here is: "There's nothing older than the idea that something is new". Though he is speaking about politics, the same can be said for writing: everything has been derived from something else. Even the great Shakespeare drew upon old Roman and Greek myths for several of his plays. He remixed these into (then modern) tales of history, tragedy and comedy. Shakespeare is viewed as the quintessential playwright of his time. This extends to modern day as he is still viewed as an artistic genius. Even someone who is so creative derives his work from previously established pieces. The beauty of Shakespeare's work is in his remixing. He takes ancient stories and gives them a (then modern) twist, proving that the same tropes have existed throughout history. Furthermore, people in modern day remix Shakespeare's work, proving that his stories remain relevant today. People, who do not quite understand (or even enjoy) Shakespeare's language, can connect with his stories through modern day versions of his plays. So, by watching modern arrangements of Shakespeare, people connect with stories from Renaissance period and from the Classical period in human history.

Of course, not all of us are Shakespeare-esque. Not everyone is a lyrical genius, and sometimes, we do a poor job or remixing people's works. Examples of this can be seen in pop culture, where the common practice of using others' instrumentation or lyrics can be done so in good or bad taste. This can draw attention away from the original work or even cause controversy.