Lethem Argument Map Final Draft-Jason George by Jason George

Lethem's argument

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-01 21:41:14 UTC

All creative works have some sort of appropriation directly or indirectly and nothing is truly original. Because of how nothing in these texts are truly original, the use and appropriation of texts should be encouraged and essential within the creative process

Use of Appropriation

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 01:01:00 UTC

Bob Dylan, a famous musician, has used appropriation in his music from varied sources such as Hollywood films, Shakespeare, and Confessions of a Yakuza. The reason Dylan used these sources was because of how they resonated with the general themes of Dylan's Songs

Cryptomesia, Higher Cribbing, and Nabokov

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 01:21:20 UTC

Vladimir Nabokov's novel has elements that are incredibly similar to those of another prominent author, Heinz Von Lichberg, who wrote Lolita 40 years before Vladimir's novel. It was suspected that Nabokov was unaware of Heinz's novel and was in a state of "Cryptomnesia" or a state where authors reuse ideas thinking they are their own creation. Nabokov could have also done something called "Higher Cribbing" which is a sophisticated borrowing of ideas that transcends plagiarism.

What this demonstrates is that ideas come from somewhere whether you are aware of them or not. Texts gain appropriation from the world around us and not truly from within us, justifying Lethem's argument.

Freedom of appropriation

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 01:38:58 UTC

"I was born with words in my mouth-"Band-Aid" "Q-tip," "Xerox" [...] the commercial and cultural environment with which we've both supplemented and blotted out our natural world. I can no more claim it as "mine" than the sidewalks and forests of the world, yet I do dwell in it, and for me to stand a chance as either artist or citizen, I'd probably better be permitted to name it." (Lethem 237).

What Lethem is conveying is how the world around us is surrounded by new topics and ideas and how we learn and live in a world full of these unfortunately restricted ideas. He is saying how it doesn't make sense for us to live in this world and have limited appropriation of the things that surround us when these things play a big role in our culture and lives.

The Original Intention of Copyright and its Erosion

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 01:47:29 UTC

"Thomas Jefferson, for one, considered copyright a necessary evil: he favored providing just enough incentive to create, nothing more, and thereafter allowing ideas to flow freely, as nature intended. [...] But Jefferson's vision has not fared well, has in fact been steadily eroded by those who view the culture as a market in which everything of value should be owned by someone or other." (Lethem 238).

Copyright use was intended to allow the free sharing of ideas that encouraged the flourishment of creative works. Over time, copyright law has favored ownership, leading to a creative drought that Lethem believes resulted from the manipulation of copyright laws and the monopolization of texts in the modern day.

The Abuse of Public Commons/Source Hypocrisy

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 02:05:08 UTC

Disney's original successes were based on how they adapted common stories into movies such as Cinderella, Lion King, Snow White, etc. Despite these stories being from public domain, Disney aggressively prevented anyone else from appropriating those once common stories. An example of this is when Disney threatened a lawsuit to Dennis Oppenheim for his appropriation of Disney characters in his sculpture.

Second Use

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 02:20:24 UTC

The reimagination of text can lead to new meaning being laid upon it. This second use does not make the original use lose meaning but rather enriches the text

Imperial Plagarism

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 02:28:10 UTC

"the free use of Third World or "primitive" artworks and styles by more privileged (and better paid) artists." (Lethem 241).

This is a form of source hypocrisy

Public commons

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 02:53:33 UTC

A public commons is an area where ideas can be freely expressed without any sort of restriction. This use of public commons can be beneficial for those to need to appropriate or do "higher cribbing".

Gift Economies vs Commodity Exchange

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 03:00:15 UTC

A gift economy is an exchange that "established a feeling-bond between two people" (Lethem 242), a commodity exchange can be likened to buying a "hacksaw blade" (Lethem 242). The importance of a gift economy and its relevance to a public commons is how there is a primary aspect of giving for the betterment of other people while a commodity exchange conflicts with the overall philosophy of a public commons as there is a riddance of connection and value.

Lethem Final Notes

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 03:14:03 UTC

"Dont pirate my editions; do plunder my visions. The name of the game is Give All. You, reader, are welcome to my stories. They were never mine in the first place, but I will give them to you. If you have the inclination to pick them up, take them with my blessing." (Lethem 246).

Why is this a protest?

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-02 03:16:41 UTC

Lethem in this passage is declaring his text as a form of public commons, therefore rebelling against the idea of copyrighted texts. In the end he wants us to appropriate his texts and texts of others that can be freely appropriated to promote better texts relative to their predecesors via collaboration.

Consequences of Source Hypocrisy

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-07 18:00:56 UTC

When you rob shared ideas from a public domain, it gives others very little to work on, leading to a plateau for creative works to develop and enhance

Cartoons and Plagarism

jasongeorge2006 — 2024-10-08 03:59:26 UTC

"In a courtroom scene from The Simpsons that has since entered into the television canon, an argument over the ownership of the animated characters Itchy and Scratchy rapidly escalates into an existential debate on the very nature of cartoons. "Animation is built on plagiarism!" [...] "You take away our right to steal ideas, where are they going to come from?" If nostalgic cartoonists had never borrowed from Fritz the Cat then there would be no Ren & Stimpy Show [...] If these are examples of plagiarism, then we want more plagiarism."

What this means is that historically, textual icons have been created because of plagiarism and appropriation, The Simpsons and other tv shows are essentially supporting Lethem's claim of how appropriation is important for the creative process. Which can be further connected to Bob Dylan's appropriation and Nabokov's appropriation