Why Originality Matters?

Because you are unique. And that is just one of the reasons that I can immediately think of to say why.  But for anyone, whether or not he is an aspiring writer, poet, artist, blogger, musician, and journalist, originality should be more than just that. It is there like a laminated diploma meant to highlight one's individuality and insight. One could dare say, I can be copied but it should not be me who is copying.

Please admit, we are unique in many many ways. And by being original, we does show the world that we are confident with the gift given us and what best we can do with that gift.

Who will deny that when we are starting we did imitate some of our favorite authors and role models? But imitating is different from stealing. You imitate because you love or like the style, the way sentences are weaved, the words are used and how the poetry of words caresses your ears. But you will soon let go of imitation because you will find your own voice. How do you say you already found your voice? It is your readers who will detect it for you. You will feel it when people recognize it is you they are reading. But after the very long voice-searching, you must protect it.  And from that standpoint, it is once again back to square one: you are now about to begin. 

Imitating someone, say a writer, it is said is more like an expression of admiration or respect to the person being imitated. But copying is a different thing, even if one claims he's lifted just a chunk of a sentence or a parcel of idea. Stealing is hard to conceal. Hiding the act committed is short-lived because it is especially easy nowadays to discover who copied from whom and what. Dare tell that to Google.com.

Aren't the act of copying sentences or paragraphs or concepts an act of admiration too? Yes that too is triggered by admiration at the beginning. If someone plagiarized, something evil may have lurked hereafter, however.  Ideas are sacred and we must remember that always. Original ideas or concepts should remain as intellectual properties of the author or the artist who may have spent tons of coffee, sleepless nights, and other unflattering rituals just to arrive at that eureka of discovery. Thus, it is still not fair to steal.

Now comes the sad news we heard of late.  Though not something very very new because we read or heard similar stories before of writers, editors, professors, journalists and even CEO accused of plagiarism or stealing words, ideas or concepts from somebody without the guts and heart to give credit to the source, their tribes, however, are increasing. From published authors to bloggers, plagiarism is fast spreading as a disease.

It is just disheartening to know what the deluge of information has brought us lately.  From tons and tons of published works down to the Internet, we get to see and swim through oceans of great works of many brilliant talents.  We get to discover new voices we formerly do not know we have in our midst.  Meanwhile, it is sad and ironic that in spite of the boon that technology has brought us, it also created insecurities, fear, and envy among many people. Even great ones and the more awarded ones are not even immune.   

Now, I am sharing here an open letter by some Filipino writers. This is both sad and at the same time alarming that plagiarism is spreading even in the Parthenon of arts and letters in my homeland. My hope is that we will learn a lot from this and may this be the end.

Shattering the Silence

Why originality matters? It matters highly because it is genius that you admit that you are not perfect. And being true to oneself is self-respect. It is also a form of compassion to oneself and other people.

Don't be deceived that when you copy or steal something it is you who will get all the spotlight. It is just an illusion that you are doing yourself a favor. Because after all that's been said and done, there is always that stinging feeling in your heart that will bother you and say: You are just fooling yourself!