Friday, May 05, 2006

Faking it: Pt.II

A week or so ago I was ranting about people who abuse our faith and trust because they are too lazy to put in the work and effort required to actually achieve something of value.

Turns out I had just scratched the surface.

Kaavya Viswanathan I guess was just too busy studying at Harvard to write her own book, so she copied someone else's. The initial "it was unintentional; I just loved McCafferty's books and it came out in my writing" seemed marginally plausible although still derelict, but now more poking around has discovered up to maybe 40 copied passages. The Harvard Crimson, which first broke the story, has a dozen examples posted from McCafferty's books, and now other readers are coming forth with more examples of copying from Sophie Kinsella, The Princess Diaries, and even Salman Rushdie!

It's, pardon my language, fucking despicable. As someone who is desperately searching for the right words and the best story she can tell, it makes me incredibly angry at the balls of this girl. Though there are those looking at the bigger picture as to whether or not there was anything improper about the way she was given this deal and got into Harvard in the first place. Was she manipulated or pressured? Don't care. Don't steal.

And, 712 home runs with two to go? It's hard to be impressed if the man was juiced. The whole season shattering #73 even seems phony now.

Big Papi doesn't do steroids. Last year he hit 47 home runs and 148 RBIs. I *heart Papi*

AND, Six managers from Aggregate Industries were indicted on fraud charges when an investigation revealed they falsified the quality of the concrete they were supplying to the Central Artery Tunnel project. (For those of you unfamiliar with it, it has been the largest scale public works project in history, the sinking of the overhead highway that ran through the city to underground. We've lived with it for what, 15 years?) There is inferior concrete in those tunnels. Hey, I feel safe! We only had a few leaks already.

On a happier note though, I am running a 5K race this Sunday. I hope to finish in under 30:00. Think good thoughts and wish me luck! Happy TGIF!

7 comments:

Leesa said...

I heard an interview with Kaavya Viswanathan. At the time, Harvard found 20 or so passages lifted, and the publisher of the other book found 61.

I was actually going to blog on this subject. Guess I will just steal your words. Not.

I wrote something yesterday, and someone remarked that they were going to steal the metaphor. I was flattered and offended at the same time.

Great post!

Bee said...

I hate Barry Bonds!

And that is why you don't give six figure book deals to kids. Sheesh. All I keep thinking about is the movie Shattered Glass. I wonder how the girl must feel right now.

Bee said...

I forgot to wish you luck this weekend!!!! =D

krysten said...

all these people and their marathons! ack!! i'm tired and sore just thinking about it!

MommyHeadache said...

Yeah, this Kaavya Viswanathan thing really sucks. The girl certainly is audacious, but not in a good way.

Brain Diva said...

As I mentioned to you before, G., I'm certainly as outraged as you are about this whole plagiarism brouhaha. This is the kind of sad result to which the ultracompetitiveness to get into college can lead. Not that I'm excusing in any way what she did (nothing justify this kind of plagiarism) but I've often noted that desperate people use desperate measures. All students I've caught cheating over the years were about to be suspended because of poor grades so they tried to cheat to save themselves.

Anyway, good luck on Sunday! :)

Bee, Shattered Glass was such an interesting movie!

Anonymous said...

Pshh, what an amateur. Everyone knows that in order to be a successful Thought Thief you have to do it before the manuscript is published, or even seen by anyone else.
And you must kill the original author, or at the very least leave them brain damaged and comatose.
Two very important things to cross off before putting your own name on someone else's work.
Pshhh.