Something New Under the Sun
An enquiry into originality and plagiarism.
Why are we so often reminded, by unoriginal writers, that great writers were not original? What is originality? Where does originality come from and why is it feared? Why are we surrounded by remixes, reboots and ‘re-imaginings’? What is the difference between originality and mere novelty? What is plagiarism? Why is lack of tradition theft? What is imagination and why is it idolised? What is tradition? Why is it such a difficult task for an artist to acquire his tradition?
What is greatness?