Post by Fewms on Oct 2, 2009 13:47:19 GMT
Artistic Plagiarism Is Fine!
By now the answer should be obvious: because the Dysk is managed by Morporkian dogs who value profits over originality and artistry. Plagiarising, unfortunately, is the lazy capitalist's preferred method of making money when engaged in creative endeavors.
One of the Dysk's most popular plays, "Coward of the Country", plagiarises word for word sections of Kenny Rogers' song "Coward of the County," and a roundworld movie was later based on the song, featuring Mr. Rogers as an actor as well. Furthermore, the plot of the play is identical to the plot of the song and movie, with no humorous additions or changes. As a reporter with strong feelings against plagiarism (especially profiting from it), I sought out the Dysk's current owner, Pozpaws:
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: Last night while watching Jeopardy [my nephew], I realised one of the plays is plagiarised, nearly word for word
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: "Coward of the Country", originally a song written by Kenny Rogers.
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: And since I doubt he's the one that submitted it ...
PozPaws D'Odelay tells you: Oh yes. I know. By Nvader. It was approved a long time before I took it [the Dysk] over.
Put does PozPaws intend to keep the play running now that the sordid secrets of the Dysk of have been exposed? I asked her, and received the following response:
PozPaws D'Odelay tells you: Well, I'll think about pulling it, although I'm not sure I want to do anything about it at this point. It's been running for two years now.
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: It's plagiarism
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: And Nvader is getting royalties for Kenny Rogers' work.
PozPaws went on to say that she believed it qualified as a spoof, even though the content of the play is essentially unaltered from the original song lyrics. Perhaps the substandard Morporkian education system and a lack of required qualifications for theatre management are to blame for her inability to properly define "spoof".
It is also very unlikely that this plagiarism will be rectified, as PozPaws has already had several months to remove the plagiarised play.
You ask PozPaws D'Odelay: How long ago did you become aware your theatre was showing plagiarised work?
PozPaws D'Odelay tells you: Let's see. I first recognized the play back when I watched it about eighteen months ago, as I am familiar with the songs of Kenny Rogers. I'm not sure who owned the Dysk back then. As you are probably aware, I only took over as manager a few months ago.
Of course, this raises another issue: Why do the Morporkian creators encourage plagiarism? Not only did they build the theatre used to show plagiarised items, they reward players that watch the plagiarised plays! Once again, it would seem that the Morporkian creators are encouraging flagrant capitalism at any cost and conspiring to suppress the glories of communism which Klatch has embraced.
You tell Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: The Dysk has been showing a play plagiarised from a Kenny Rogers song for several months, even though the current management is aware of the plagiarism
You tell Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: Players are encouraged to watch the plagiarised material due to quest reward incentives
Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique tells you: Not a problem
You ask Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: Why not?
Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique tells you: Because practically everything here is plagiarised.
Indeed, no more would be expected of anyone with power in Ankh-Morpork. But does Ankh-Morpork practice what it preaches?
You ask Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: Would you also have no problem with, for example, original AM room descriptions being copied and used on another MUD?
Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique asks you: If that mud refused to take them down after I complained, sure.
This indicates that Gin prefers the "don't ask, don't tell" approach to plagiarism: so long as the victim of the plagiarism is unaware of it, no harm is done. Or is it? Don't we all suffer when given regurgitated literature with nothing new? When we pay good money to watch it? And aren't we harmed when someone else profits from creative endeavors, without even giving to us recognition for having written it? When literature is plagiarised, -everyone- loses, except the plagiarist and the exploitative capitalist pigs.
Fellow writers, whether your be reporters, journalists, I encourage you to boycott selling plays to the Dysk until this travesty has been rectified. We should not mix our ORIGINAL plays with those that have been PLAGIARISED word for word! NO one should WATCH any plays at the HOUSE OF PLAGIARISM until the PLAGIARISM STOPS!! We must use our MORAL OUTRAGE to SHOW these CHARLATANS that we WILL NOT BE DUPED by their CHEAP TRICKS!!! We must UNITE to TEAR DOWN these CAPITALIST OPPRESSORS that TAKE OUR MONEY AND GIVE US RECYCLED FECES!!!! BURN DOWN THE DYSK!!!!!
By now the answer should be obvious: because the Dysk is managed by Morporkian dogs who value profits over originality and artistry. Plagiarising, unfortunately, is the lazy capitalist's preferred method of making money when engaged in creative endeavors.
One of the Dysk's most popular plays, "Coward of the Country", plagiarises word for word sections of Kenny Rogers' song "Coward of the County," and a roundworld movie was later based on the song, featuring Mr. Rogers as an actor as well. Furthermore, the plot of the play is identical to the plot of the song and movie, with no humorous additions or changes. As a reporter with strong feelings against plagiarism (especially profiting from it), I sought out the Dysk's current owner, Pozpaws:
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: Last night while watching Jeopardy [my nephew], I realised one of the plays is plagiarised, nearly word for word
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: "Coward of the Country", originally a song written by Kenny Rogers.
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: And since I doubt he's the one that submitted it ...
PozPaws D'Odelay tells you: Oh yes. I know. By Nvader. It was approved a long time before I took it [the Dysk] over.
Put does PozPaws intend to keep the play running now that the sordid secrets of the Dysk of have been exposed? I asked her, and received the following response:
PozPaws D'Odelay tells you: Well, I'll think about pulling it, although I'm not sure I want to do anything about it at this point. It's been running for two years now.
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: It's plagiarism
You tell PozPaws D'Odelay: And Nvader is getting royalties for Kenny Rogers' work.
PozPaws went on to say that she believed it qualified as a spoof, even though the content of the play is essentially unaltered from the original song lyrics. Perhaps the substandard Morporkian education system and a lack of required qualifications for theatre management are to blame for her inability to properly define "spoof".
It is also very unlikely that this plagiarism will be rectified, as PozPaws has already had several months to remove the plagiarised play.
You ask PozPaws D'Odelay: How long ago did you become aware your theatre was showing plagiarised work?
PozPaws D'Odelay tells you: Let's see. I first recognized the play back when I watched it about eighteen months ago, as I am familiar with the songs of Kenny Rogers. I'm not sure who owned the Dysk back then. As you are probably aware, I only took over as manager a few months ago.
Of course, this raises another issue: Why do the Morporkian creators encourage plagiarism? Not only did they build the theatre used to show plagiarised items, they reward players that watch the plagiarised plays! Once again, it would seem that the Morporkian creators are encouraging flagrant capitalism at any cost and conspiring to suppress the glories of communism which Klatch has embraced.
You tell Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: The Dysk has been showing a play plagiarised from a Kenny Rogers song for several months, even though the current management is aware of the plagiarism
You tell Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: Players are encouraged to watch the plagiarised material due to quest reward incentives
Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique tells you: Not a problem
You ask Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: Why not?
Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique tells you: Because practically everything here is plagiarised.
Indeed, no more would be expected of anyone with power in Ankh-Morpork. But does Ankh-Morpork practice what it preaches?
You ask Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique: Would you also have no problem with, for example, original AM room descriptions being copied and used on another MUD?
Gin 'Bombay' n Tonique asks you: If that mud refused to take them down after I complained, sure.
This indicates that Gin prefers the "don't ask, don't tell" approach to plagiarism: so long as the victim of the plagiarism is unaware of it, no harm is done. Or is it? Don't we all suffer when given regurgitated literature with nothing new? When we pay good money to watch it? And aren't we harmed when someone else profits from creative endeavors, without even giving to us recognition for having written it? When literature is plagiarised, -everyone- loses, except the plagiarist and the exploitative capitalist pigs.
Fellow writers, whether your be reporters, journalists, I encourage you to boycott selling plays to the Dysk until this travesty has been rectified. We should not mix our ORIGINAL plays with those that have been PLAGIARISED word for word! NO one should WATCH any plays at the HOUSE OF PLAGIARISM until the PLAGIARISM STOPS!! We must use our MORAL OUTRAGE to SHOW these CHARLATANS that we WILL NOT BE DUPED by their CHEAP TRICKS!!! We must UNITE to TEAR DOWN these CAPITALIST OPPRESSORS that TAKE OUR MONEY AND GIVE US RECYCLED FECES!!!! BURN DOWN THE DYSK!!!!!