11/10/2010

Why Try To Be Someone You're Not?

I was recently checking out Mrs. B's blog Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom, and was deeply saddened to read this post. My first thought when I read it was, "I hope Mrs. B isn't talking about me." See, I really look up to Mrs. B. She helped me out a lot when I first started out blogging. If it wasn't for Mrs. B, the blog that you currently see would not be here. Then, after I looked back over all my fond memories of desperate emails to Mrs. B asking for help and thanking her for her time, I started thinking...

While I look up to Mrs. B and respect her (A LOT), I would never want to pretend to be her, nor would I want to steal any of her writing because she worked hard on that. Me being a writer gives me some respect for other people's writing. I'm also a college student (well a college student taking a break from school), so I know how terrible it is to plagiarize. If I don't have something I've written myself I just won't post here. Then I was shocked when I found out there are other blogs that look like Mrs. B's. I've never run across them, but I read the real deal, so I've had no reason to look for impostors. My question to that is, and I sincerely hope Mrs. B doesn't take offense to this, but why in the hell would you want to actually pretend to be Mrs. B? She's an amazing woman and I respect her and look up to her, but I kind of like being myself thank you very much. My question to the impostors is this: Are you too much of a chicken shit to be yourself? Why do you feel the need to copy someone else's work? Do your own work or don't blog at all.

To Mrs. B, I love you, and thank you so much for all the help you've given me throughout the time I've been here at my bloggy home. If I have accidentally plagiarized you in any way (i.e. forgetting to link back, etc) I am sincerely sorry and if it did happen, please know that I definitely did not do it on purpose. Please continue to be the amazing domestic witch that you are! Brightest Blessings!

6 comments:

Aine O'Brien said...

Yes, I don't really understand it either. I think we all have something to share, so there should be no need to take the stuff of others.

Tallah said...

One of the blogs I recently began following was tagged for plagiarism of Mrs. B's stuff. Honestly, I had not read her blog until it was called out that this person was essentially copying the posts verbatim. Upon hearing that, I immediately dropped the copycat blog and went to check out the original.

I'm still new to the whole Blogging thing, but as a member of a small, but very loud art community, I know a LOT about "stolen work" and plagiarism/copying accusations. Usually the people who try to leech off the success of others are insecure and they are desperate for people to read/watch/look at their creations. They figure "Hey, if I copy what so-and-so is doing, maybe I can become as popular as they are! And since I"m doing that, why not make it easier and just repost what they're doing, only tweak it juuuussst enough so I can say it's mine!"

Hmm, this is actually a good subject for a post...

Nydia said...

Don't worry, sweetie, her post wasn't for you, I'm sure about it! You already have your own cool style and would never need to copy anyone's.

Kisses!

Faerie Sage said...

I have to agree I was truly saddened when I read Mrs. B's post, copying someones work and posing it as your own is on of the worst things that can happen to someone in an artistic community, of which blogging is such. Don't worry I'm sure this post was not about you! I even thought wow did I do that? Anyone honest and truthful will feel bad and wonder if it was about them. Its the people who aren't honest and truthful who do these kinds of things.

Ponderosa Pagan said...

I know what you mean! Mrs. B is awesome. She has helped me with a few things as well and am so grateful she has a blog!

BoondockWitch said...

Mrs.B is AWESOME! but i doubt that its about you