What would you do if someone stole from YOU?
Hello wonderful person!
If you have been reading my blog, you can be nothing but wonderful! How are you on Day 22 of Lockdown?
Today, my fitness coach (and friend) Neel, messaged me. He keeps posting fitness challenges as well as daily workout (There's a lot of stuff for beginners) too on his page. A couple of days back put a challenge on his page which was an original challenge by him. Someone completed the challenge and then posted it as their own, with no credit to Neel.
It has happened to me many times. My content has been stolen, quotes from my books are taken and people put it up as their own quotes. Same happens with photos I click. Sometimes pictures of me, are used without my permission. One time, someone stole a pic of my garden and used it in their ad! (Can you believe the cheek?) Another time they stole a picture of my mother and me, and used it in an article. You bet I raised hell and got them to take it down!
Using something without attribution to the creator is plain wrong unless it is taken from sites specifically for that purpose. There are many sites from which you can take content without attribution. (Still, I always try and give credit.)
The next thing we know, someone on his friend's list copies the exact post above, word to word..And he posts it on his page, changing the last name to that of his wife!! (It was his wife's b'day )
I was outraged! How could he do this?!
I asked Satish why he didn't call him out for blatantly lifting off such a heartfelt note dedicated to me. Satish said that initially he was angry too. Then he went to that person's page and read the comments beneath that post. Everyone was praising that person for coming up with such a lovely post. This person was acting as though it was he who wrote it.
Among the people praising him was his daughter who had said 'Papa, you have written it so well.'
Satish said that, even though the person had stolen the post, in his daughter's eyes, he was a hero. He didn't want to expose him, because he didn't want that person's daughter to think less of him.
I found that magnanimous and kind. Imagine that guy's loss of face, if Satish had called him out.
Now after so many years, we're just amused about this.
People shouldn't be passing off stuff as their own, if they didn't have anything to do with it in the first place. Only the creator knows how it is so hard to come up with something original. Many do not understand the importance of giving credit to the creator. I think it is extremely essential. After all, it is recognition and acknowledgement of one's creative worth that the artist craves--be it a workout challenge, a facebook post or a quote from a book you wrote.
What do you say? Tell me in my comment box, please. If you are reading this in your inbox, or an aggregator site, may I please request you to head over to my blog and use the comment box?I would love to know what you think.
That's all from me, for today.
See you again tomorrow.
Lots of love
Preeti
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Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash
Very true indeed! And it pinches a lot! This happened when I prepared my study notes of my understanding and someone want to persistently for it again and again. Looking once for the way I wrote would be so nice and I happily give it. But in the context of replicating it? No! I couldn’t say no or calm my mind Coz they are your friends and classmates! But end of the day I realised to stop worrying and let it go because they might win now or gain more using mine but my own skill they can’t take way! Not just like they take my book! I can make more and more like this.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. Still feels unfair to me. To just "take" someone's efforts.
DeleteThis is such a thought provoking post. I remember your garden pic had Lostris too.
ReplyDeleteI have faced similar incidents in my workplace too, where your ideas or suggestions are used by someone as their own. And that has sometimes led me think probably I should not invest too much in others. But then this is not applicable to all and so for some thankless people you can’t change your ways to others who deserve and value the stuffs you share.
Coming back to people who do not credit, I think it is something to do with the values they have grown up.
And, I find it very difficult to change or to make them understand their mistake as they think it is alright.
All, I could think to do is make the kids understand what is legit and what is not right from the beginning and also teach them from our life example and not just by words.
Thanks again for putting an important life lesson so perfectly!
Love,
Nitu
Yeah---exactly. Maybe some people 'take' because they aren't creative enough to think something on their own. Still feels wrong to me.
DeleteI totally agree with you Ma'am. People never feel guilty for doing this kind of things. Once my Classmate have choosen the same topic for her Research which I have choosen for Me. She casually asked me about my research area and I explained that to her. Later, she plagiarized that as her own Idea. I worked nearly for Three months to find a new one for my Research.
ReplyDeleteSo infuriating. And unfair.
DeleteHappy morning madam, I totally agree with you in this and I can easily connect with this as I have experienced this in person too.
ReplyDeleteI created a picture with one of my drawing and my thoughts on it and made it my display picture in whatsapp. Instantly my friend made it her dp without mentioning any credits. I couldn't accept it and just shouted at my friend for it. Even then she dint take it seriously.
Another instance when my neighbour stole a rangoli of mine which I have planned to draw on pongal from my notebook and drew it in her house for pongal festival. I dint know she drew until another lady commented on it.
This is how the world is and we have to manage these people only.
Thank you for making me read your blogs every morning. Do much positivity you are.
Have a great day.
With love
Sunandha
Yeah...it might be a small thing for them, but its a big thing for us!
DeleteTrue Mam! I feel it's a crime to do like that. Art is a gift from God. No one should steal it from anybody and portray it as their own. I am surprised will their conscience doesn't pinch them?
ReplyDeleteI have many such experiences when I was in school. Some students used to steal my essays, copy exactly and would show to the teacher. Well definitely they would be caught. I don't know what pleasure they get in stealing the art.
Anything we ourselves create with love and passion will make us happy and content.
Indeed :)
DeleteGood afternoon Preeti. I am doing pretty good. I love visiting your Blog daily, reading and commenting on the posts. This is one of the highlights of the Lockdown for me and I look forward every single morning to the new posts. It is really sad when people steal content and take the credit for it. I have seen it happens many times when I have posted photos of my mom's garden, my food pics and even one of me from my profile pics from Facebook. For some reason, my profile privacy settings was set to Public. One person had gone through my online photo album and shared about 50 photos on his profile! I do not even know who he is, where he lives and why he even did it. I changed my privacy settings and blocked his profile. I also reported it to Facebook. Thankfully, this was the first and last time it happened.
ReplyDeleteHahahah..that might be because he had a crush on you!! Here, they stole my work, and were using it in their commercial ads!
DeleteHii mam Good afternoon...
ReplyDeleteYeah its really to see our own words and photos to see in unknown person id without asking permission. I also had a thought after reading your blog whether people own creativity is losing nowadays? I dont know its pathetic because everyone is googling for their need specially students who dont try to make out their own essays they plagiarise from various website and get the teacher's appreciation.. is that true education which lasts forever in their life?
Yeah--they are the losers in the long run if they do that.
DeleteHello Preethi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely post. I do believe copying someone's work (without there knowledge) is as good as robbery and stealing. Heights being birthday post of your husband. seriously do you wish your spouse with copied content :(. However this morning i had NDTV news turned on and i was dusting/cleaning , so was just hearing and not seeing the news. I heard one statement from one of the world leader saying "Good neighbors talk". This was related to corona virus exit strategy. I was thinking this is such a good statement and can be used when two neighbors fight. I live in a big township and frequently hear such fights/complaints .
So, Is this stealing as well or should we say i heard somewhere .......
please share your thoughts.
Thanks
Sudha
No no--things like "good neighbours talk" which you heard on TV, that too from a world leader is not stealing!! That's different from someone taking your physical work, and passing it off as their own. What you are doing is applying a phrase you heard to something you thought of. That's different!
DeleteAnd yeah--it is so funny to wish your spouse with stolen words! At least there, be sincere!!
Another excellent post Preeti ki and it's such a pleasure to read your thoughts each day.
ReplyDeletePlagiarism or stealing someone's work in which the person has invested his love,emotions,thoughts and precious time is blasphemous.
Their argument or defense would be "there are only finite words or letters in a language"or "thoughts are fluid and can germinate in any brain".
The person who steals has no remorse but the person who created yhe piece if work or art is discouraged for life.
Well, lots of people steal from me--but I am far from discouraged! :) I give it back to them royally. :D
DeleteNice Blog maam... It reminded me one funny incident.. A couple came to our house.. I prepared lots of food for them in lunch and decorated the table very nicely.. The guy took the pic... Shared in his profile without tagging me... And then comments came like wow so much cooking.. When are you calling us home... And his replies showed as if it was in their house... I was very angry initially... But hubby told to chill... As he knows that guy is always like that.. :)
ReplyDeleteHahahaha..what an idiot no!!! So silly he is. I think men do this more than women.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's very sad seeing people lifting any piece of art or creativity, that we would have created or developed, putting in all the ideas, efforts moreover, our heart and soul. It happened to my li'l sister Apurva Sinha. She had created beautiful artwork for her college fest and a stupid agency person stole the idea for his/her renowned apparel brand. Sad! Well that was many years ago. That certainly didn't stop her from creating more masterpieces :)
ReplyDeleteOh no...unscrupulous people.
DeleteOk, trying for the third time to comment on this as I do feel strongly about this.
ReplyDeleteIt has happened with me when one of my short stories got forwarded to me and though the friend who forwarded it to me, applauded me, for creating such a forward-worthy story and though at first I shared the elation he felt, I noticed that there was no mention of the original source nor my name in that forward. I had done quite an amount of research to even craft that short story and I remember feeling very very angry when it set in that I was not even given credit.
I have been skeptical about publishing short stories in my blogspace post that experience.
In any case, plagiarism really sucks.
It indeed does Deeps. I just replied to your other comment too. I would recommend not to publish your short stories on blogs. Try to get it published in anthologies instead. And if you come across your work being circulated with no credit to you, never be shy to insist on credit for your work.
DeleteWell, I have not yet came across someone who has stolen my content (I have a blog and I write poems and quotes on YourQuote app).
ReplyDeleteBut I have a question. Most of stories are already written. This generation writers (especially me) have a fear what if they unintentionally wrote a story that resembles (to whatever extent) to an already written story or literature work. There is that fear that people who have read those earlier works and read mine and say I've copied their work. I cannot read so many books as I'm financially dependent on my parents and they rarely let me purchase, nor do I have any library in my city. How can we deal deal with plagriasm accusations & its fear if it ever happens?
It must have been heartbreaking for Mr Satish... But what he did ultimately is very sweet. it does take lot of strength to let such things be...
ReplyDelete