Thursday, July 10, 2014

A Pox On Plagiarists

I haven’t been plagiarized from often. My camera skills are middling, but I guess the best of the lot have appealed to a few. I used to think I would feel a tiny bit, at least, of pride when someone stole my pictures. It would mean my pictures were good. But no, the immediate and continuing reaction is one of anger. Any pride that may hazard a presence is burnt to a frizz by the flames of fury.

It’s like how I got called a ‘chick’ once by some guy in my aerobics class – the first time ever in my life, well into my late twenties or early thirties – and felt uncomfortable, not thrilled. (The guy has since grown a paunch, another chin, looks unshaven, unrested and greets me conservatively on the odd occasion we run into each other, typical of the average middle-aged man he has turned into - just saying, in case you were curious.)

First, a newspaper used my picture. I complained, and they took it down from the online version. Even as that correspondence was going on, I got a snarky comment on that post – I am sure it was the content supplier who got scolded for their misdemeanor. I told them to chill.

The second is a restaurant in this city that stole my picture of red chillies in a sieve. I happened to eat there and that’s when I noticed it. I complained, I yelled, made a big fuss, followed up for a while and as life took over, prioritized other things.

Now I find that a picture of my meatless, wheatless haleem shows up on Google attributed to some restaurant in some other country. I am going to file a DMCA complaint but meanwhile I want to curse all plagiarists and content scrapers to my heart’s content. You can join in too.

But first, a little classical inspiration: “There is a very pretty Eastern tale, of which the fate of plagiarists often reminds us. The slave of a magician saw his master wave his wand, and heard him give orders to the spirits who arose at the summons. The slave stole the wand, and waved it himself in the air; but he had not observed that his master used the left hand for that purpose. The spirits thus irregularly summoned, tore the thief to pieces instead of obeying his orders.” – Thomas Babington Macaulay

  • Yes, may your business/blog/website be torn into pieces! 
  • May you flail in a vat of meatless, wheatless haleem and be discarded like some unloved vegetable!
  • May the heat of a hundred ripe, red chillies burn your bottom before you think of plagiarising again!
  • May your apricots rot before you steal another picture!
  • May your computer self-combust every time you think of stealing! Better still, may your computer bite you in your sensitive parts every time you attempt to steal! 
  • May visitors to your website get an Error 404 every time they try, and stop visiting!
  • May you be shown up for the lazy and dishonorable bum that you are!

How would you curse a plagiarist?

15 comments:

  1. I am joining you in all the curses. I have never been plagiarized - yet, I believe, or someone thinks that I need lot of improvement. But to all those faceless, nameless whatever, whatever......I curse you repeat of all of the above - go read them all once again....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lata! Believe me, it's not a nice feeling.

      Delete
  2. I'm sorry your picture got stolen and attributed to someone else. It never ever feels good when something like this happens,
    On the other hand, I love the style of your curses. :)
    I shall join in spirit because I could never come up with curses like these.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aparna, it took me a couple of days :)

      Delete
  3. In support of a just cause being fought by my friend, I curse all of you who thrive in borrowed glory.....There, I cursed them all for u on a lovely monday morning....:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vidya, your support means a lot to me :)

      Delete
  4. May the ingredients you stock in your kitchen to make the recipes you stole, turn putrid and toxic and make you really sick

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hahhaha! This is one the best curses I ever heard howled towards the plagiarists. I join you my friend. May all those who think Google images are free and ready for use rot in hell. I like this bum on fire curse. *super*.

    Siri

    ReplyDelete
  6. I know the feeling and thank you for the curses list. I have to deal with such morons very frequently ....angers me. Wrting to the web developers for those sites usually helps though. The resturaunt owners usually have no idea about such things. You can try getting in touch with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know what, Sharmi, I just checked Google again and my pic is credited to the blog, I didnt have to file a dmca complaint.

      Delete
  7. Ooh...i always thought the same. I felt it would be hell flattering. But i guess not after hearing ur curses bet it Does feel super bad. Good that you put ur foot down and may their curd/yogurt never set !!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a nice one, very frustrating!

      Delete

I moderate all my comments. So if you're a human spammer or a bot that can understand this warning, buzz off, don't waste your time here spamming.