Giving Recognition - A Way To Avoid Plagiarism

According to my favourite dictionary, wordweb, recognition is -

• Acknowledgement, praise or respect for something, e.g. having a quality, producing something, doing something, etc.
• The realization and identification of something as having been previously seen, heart, known, etc.
• The acknowledgement of achievement.

People are born with a need to be recognized. The moment we were born we were giving a name in order to be identified, recognised and acknowledged. If we are not recognized we feel ignored and disrespected, consequently the feeling of being worthless starts to grow in us. These feelings turn into an Inferiority Complex and other serious and less serious personality disorders that eventually determine our character and inner battles between our True-Self, Self-Image and Ego.

I believe that most of us grow up (and old) in dire need of recognition. Especially Christians find themselves in early adulthood in such a need of recognition that they go to extremes trying to get it, for they were indoctrinated with the concept that they are ‘nothing’, all praise belongs to God.

Personally, I have mastered too many skills at the cost of my well-being and happiness in order to be recognized and acknowledged for the person I was and still am. Looking back, I can even see myself in some situations being a fool obviously in search of recognition. Today I say ‘to hell with those who were for some reason not willing to fulfil my need’. With the same feeling of disdain for self-aggrandized people I say the same today, because I have learned the hard way the truth so well stressed by Abraham Lincoln and Marianne Williamson -

“Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” - Abraham Lincoln.

“Maturity includes the recognition that no one is going to see anything in us that we don't see in ourselves. Stop waiting for a producer. Produce yourself.” - Marianne Williamson.

Plagiarism is deliberate act of acquisition of thoughts, ideas or expressions without the permission of the owner. However, as I have said at the sherry-fountain in my foyer, in the world of writers there are but only a limited number of themes to write about. Whatever topic we try to cover today has been covered before in many different genres and styles. Frankly, to come forward with an original perspective on a topic seems to be totally impossible.

Article spinning is perhaps the most ‘popular’ form of plagiarism on the Internet. Of course, writers read the work of other writers, they agree or disagree with the content and being writers they responsively grab the ‘pen’ to present their personal point of view, which may be the same than those of zillions.

“Originality is undetected plagiarism.” - William Ralph Inge (at brainyquote.com)

Professional writers know the meaning of the following, already perfectly expressed and published by Goodreads -

“When a thing has been said and said well, have no scruple. Take it and copy it.” ― Anatole France

“People seldom improve when they have no model but themselves to copy after.” ― Oliver Goldsmith

“To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.” ― Stephen Wright

Professional writers spend time and energy to provide the sources of their ideas, facts and especially of the scientifically results of research. Of course, they are not able to know about everything and all that were written about a specific topic. Only in terms of ‘recognition’ Google presented 67,600,000 results in only 0.21 seconds! So how on earth can any writer be sure that they are not committing plagiarism?

But is it not at least possible to acknowledge our own fellow-farmers in a content farm such as HubPages? Are we not all trying to plant our ideas and perceptions in the minds of others hoping that it will run to fruitful seed? Or are some of us so desperately in search of recognition that they are not able to give recognition to those who inspire and encourage them?

So easy to do!

At the top of our page, right next to the word ‘HubPages’ is a space meant for searching. Type the keyword of the topic you intend to write about and make sure that your idea has not already been covered. If it was, feel free to present your perspective, but don’t emphasize your poverty of original thoughts by not giving appropriate recognition to writers aka fellow-presenters of knowledge and wisdom.

And what about inviting your fellow-writers to send you the link to their perspective on the same topic? Adding these links to your hub as recommended reads will surely boost your reputation.

(Feel free to send me your link as well.)

http://wandererh.hubpages.com/hub/What-Is-Plagiarism

http://tresero.hubpages.com/hub/WhatIsPlagiarism

And this is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED read: “How to shamelessly steal great ideas (and get away with it!)” - http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/steal-link-building-ideas