I do not believe that Jonathan Lethem was arguing for plagiarism, but more-so the idea that a good idea, stems from the recreation of another idea. In order to create works of art, whether it be in literature, on a canvas or on film, ideas and inspiration come from reading books or looking at other works of art. The Walt Disney empire is an icon of success, with its tales of morals and life lessons, however majority of the classic movies were based on other works by other individuals."Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi, Song of the South, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan, Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, and, alas, Treasure Planet, a legacy of cultural sampling that Shakespeare, or De La Soul, could get behind. " I feel that taking ideas from others should not be viewed as shameful, but as a compliment. The idea that another "artist" has taken the time to take an idea that I may have and use it again makes me feel appreciated as well as flattered. As a writer, artist or filmmaker, this form of flattery ensures that the legacy that you create through your work will live on even after creation ends.It doesn't mean that the originals have become forgotten, but they just simply are appreciated more now that they have been adjusted for the current time period.
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I couldn't agree more. Everything someone does artistically is based off someone they look up to or something they really like. Bands make new music by having other bands they listen to as their influence. The problem is some people are just lazy and they blur the extremely fine line between influence and plagiarism. That in no way is okay and makes a fraud out of you and causes many problems between the originator and the copy cat.
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