Friday, November 17, 2006

LIVING VICARIOUSLY

What is "Living Vicariously"?  It means that rather than having a life of your own, you live by substituting what you think and do for the thoughts and actions of others,  living their lives as yours.
 
As an example I will go back many years - early 70's.  I worked at a small beer bar run by a person named Mama Jac.  She gathered young people around her and was excited by our enthusiasm and abilities.  She was a very lonely woman - she had no life of her own to speak of, so she lived her life through our actions and thoughts.  She even told people that our ideas were something she suggested. Unknown to us at at the time not only was she living vicariously through our lives, she was taking credit for our thoughts.  

Here's my next thought - and this is very important.  Plagiarism . . . what is plagiarism?  The dictionary describes it this way:

" the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. "

This is very important to us here in J-Land.  Recently I have been noticing that there is someone here that is doing something very similar to that.  The person gives credit to the original author, writes it up in their own words and asks others to leave a comment in their own journal.  It's possible that this person doesn't know how to link to another journal or leave their own link when making a comment in another journal.

I would like to ask this J-Lander to learn how to link to the original author and let the author receive the comments for their idea.  When you take another's writings and ask people to comment in your journal, you are plagiarising - stealing if you will.   We all work hard to make our journals a reflection of ourselves.  We are thrilled to have ourselves given credit in a peer's journal. If you don't know how to link go to John's journal and read his Journal Helps on the right side of the journal.  There you can learn journal etiquette, linking and a lot of other journaling tips.

Readers:  don't take this personally.  I pray you see how important this is to the cohesiveness of our community.

Many blessings in Christ,

                                    

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you one hundred percent, Penny.  When a journaler takes other journalers' ideas and acts as if they are her own, asking for comments on somebody else's idea or question, they are plagiarising or stealing.  Each of us in J-land works hard to make our journal the best it can be, and uniquely ours.  When somebody comes along, and makes their journal like ours, using our material, just to get comments, it is very hurtful.  Instead of using other's materials, ideas, and questions, this journaler should make up their own ideas.  At the very least they should give credit where credit is due, leaving a link to the original journaler, and tell others to go back and comment in the original journaler's journal.  Something like, "If you would like to play this game, please visit XXXXX at XXXXXXXXXX."  Make the X's linkable.  Link them back to the original journaler.  Better still, come up with games and questions of your own (whoever is doing this)!  Don't live vicariously through others!  I am sure you have lots of ideas you could come up with yourself.  We in J-land work hard to come up with our own ideas, each of us.  You can do the same!

God bless, Krissy :)
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink        

Anonymous said...

I guess I haven't seen this problem.

Anonymous said...

(((((((((((((((((((((((HUGSTOYOU))))))))))))))))))))))Intresting,thats a good thought you thought of.I hope I dont do that.lol.Have a nice weekend.

Anonymous said...

I don't know that I've seen it, but then again.....Well, I don't remember too well anyway.  But you are right.  Someone new to J-land might truely feel they are doing right by simply mentioning the original author.  But since we do have the ability to link (and it's really very simple) it should be done.  Otherwise, the original author might never realize how people are reacting and responding to their work.  Personally, I quite often, if not always, send an email to the person I'm linking to telling them "come see."  -  Barbara

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with you Penny.

Thanks for bringing this up

Kathy

Anonymous said...

credit should be given when credit is due Vicky :)

Anonymous said...

Agreed Penny.  Another idea is to just 'blog about this entry'.  You can then direct your readers directly to the journal entry you are writing about.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree too!  Your so right!!
hugs and love,
Joyce

Anonymous said...

I agree that plagerism is wrong and should never be tollerated.  Have a good Sunday.

Phil

Anonymous said...

dear Penny,
I love the photo of your family! beautiful!
have a wonderful hanks giving link!
Thanks for the strong talk!
natalie

Anonymous said...

I don't know that I have come across this myself but I would like to think it was an error of just not knowing...  I know many times people's entries really get me thinking too, but I try very hard to make them my own thoughts!

Happy Journaling!
Kara

Anonymous said...

Thanks for signing up for the tournament!  I'm glad to see some "new blood".  

This is a very interesting entry you wrote.  I have been in trouble with plagiarism before and COMPLETELY ON ACCIDENT!  The things that can happen are incredible.  I really have to watch out in my school work.  Thanks for sharing the thought.

-Kellen
http://journals.aol.com/love2sing2007/FaithinRomanCatholicism
http://journals.aol.com/love2sing2007/JournalTournament

Anonymous said...

I agree. They probably dont know they are doing this. You should write them privately and mention leaving a link so people understand who wrote it. They may not get why that is important. -Raven