Blog Post #3

Johnson-Eilola and Selber define assemblage as a combination of ideas taken from several sources into order to prove or create a new idea. In this sense, the definition of assemblage is almost identical to the concept of remixing. Remixing, like assemblage, gathers ideas from separate sources and combines them to create something new. The concept of remixing is broadened beyond textual data and is applied to media, video, and cinema.

Technically, nothing is original, considering the fact that our whole life we are influenced by outside sources that can appear in the pieces we produce. There is a fine line between stealing an idea and utilizing an idea, which is why in order to avoid plagiarizing one must give credit to the original author if one does not put their own variation on the information. For example, a direct quote would obviously require a citation. On the other hand, reading an article that spurs a new idea may be considered influential in one’s writing but would not require a citation.

One question of mine that remains unanswered is what is this “fine line” between plagiarism and assemblage and who defines this “line”? At what point can society say that an idea does not require recognition? At the same time, everything seems to be a remix of something else, so the need for citation seems unnecessary when it is assumed that everything is a collaboration of others’ works. In our most futile efforts to be original, we tend to ignore the fact that our conclusions are drawn from the ideas of others.