Plagiarism: I’ve Done It. And So Have You.

So, let’s all try to fix the problem.

Image created in Canva with Image from Olga Z

“Fame has it that you, Fidentinus, recite my books to the crowd as if none other than your own. If you’re willing that they be called mine, I’ll send you the poems for free. If you want them to be called yours, buy this one, so that they won’t be mine.” — Appearance and Authorship, Peter Anderson

Nothing beats reading hot gossip that’s 2000 years old about a tiff between two Roman poets, Martial and Fidentinus.

There is some juicy tea I could go into, but I have other things to talk about so I’ll let you read that in your own time.

My point with this intro is simple: Plagiarism isn’t new.

And if you look up the etymology of the word, it actually comes from the Latin root word “plagiare” which used to only refer to “kidnapping.” Because you know — you’re stealing someone else’s idea.

Today, it’s still a massive problem that usually doesn’t result in any justice for the person being plagiarized. Obvious plagiarism, like directly copying someone else’s work, is easy to spot. We all know that…