Journal #4

I once read somewhere that no one creates original content: Everything that is created has been modeled after something else that the creator has seen or read. However, I don't believe that remixing and plagiarism are one in the same. Remixing is taking small fragments from multiple mediums and reworking them in a way that was not intended by the original author. Plagiarizing is claiming another artist's work in full as your own.

As soon as elementary aged children learn to compose an essay, we are told not to plagiarize. Teachers threaten students with the possibility of a failing grade if they copy another's work. However, we are taught subconsciously to remix. By teaching children to cite and quote several different authors in a research paper, that child is able to "create" a thesis all their own. They take pieces from each author's work and combine them with other author's opinions and writings to create something unique.

While some may argue that we lose originality in a remix culture, I don't believe this is true. All writing is built on the basis of other writings. Even the Bible, a three thousand year old book, isn't seen as fully "original" by scholars: Several of the stories in the bible are thought to be based off of oral legends and myths. Remixing and assemblage is nothing new for writers. In fact, I think it's natural for humans to take inspiration from other sources to create something new to them.




Morgan Wren