RANT.

Originality

Is it wrong that I feel so unoriginal? All of my ideas, projects, beliefs, writings, etc. are literally based off of something or someone else, whether intentionally or subconsciously. Be it books, movies, speakers, parents, strangers, nature, organizations, events, conversations... (again, etc.) It just all makes me wonder, who is original?

Obviously, these ideas we accept so readily in our everyday lives come from somewhere. Sometimes they come from nature, be it organic or human nature, but some ideas are so abstract and weird that one has to wonder where they come from. Who was the first person to latch onto the idea of an underdog, or first to tell a tale of adventure or something of highly improbable and mushy romance? Even the great Shakespeare based “Romeo and Juliet” off of The “Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet” by Brooke, which was in turn based on oral tradition. (Which is why I equate much of Shakepeare as an over-glorified and fancy Dr. Suess. But that’s another rant for another day.) Even Tolkien based Lord of the Rings off of myth, folklore and people he knew. I just want to BE there, for original thought, to see the sparkle in someone's mind when they have a radical idea that was never thought before. 

(Side note: I understand that most modern ideas come from an evolution of different minds and thoughts throughout centuries and eons. But those thoughts have to come from somewhere original... right?)

For that person that first thought of actual equality for women or the idea of giants and pixies, or the thought of personification, or specific religions. I also WANT that moment of knowing or thinking something no one else in the world has ever thought or known. It must have been ultimate euphoria for those people. To grin to themselves because they secretly know it’s awesome, but be afraid of how the world might/might not accept it.

Furthermore, I wonder how many people actually have had an idea that’s original and brilliant, but it was so instantly rejected or not shared, that the world won’t ever really know it.

Oh, just to note, I’m not saying that art and literature and stuff aren’t worth it. I’m just saying they’re mostly either almost original ideas mashed with unoriginal, or a spin on unoriginal ideas. Such is the idea of the genre. No matter how ‘original’ something is, it probably falls under a genre. Granted, without people’s usage of other’s ideas, I’m sure all art and literature would be terribly chaotic and hideous. There’s a point to why original ideas get passed from person to person: they’re worth it.

Also, often times, original ideas are repeated at the same time in other people’s minds. Just look at the invention of the telephone: Graham and Gray essentially had the same idea at the same time independently and tried to patent it. Granted, this may be an unfair comparison. Often times, there are periods of history where great advancements in the same field boom across the world.

Prime example is modern silicon technology. Just in the 1990's, that field was extremely unexplored and essentially nonexistent. Suddenly, waves of tech have some pouring through. Prime example: how you're reading this right now. 

Duh.

Again, I’m not beating up modern creators or anything! It’s the people who act like their ideas are god sent, and that they’re the best people of the world  forget that humanity today is a collection of snippets across time. We’re the result and continuation of a lot of trial and error. So when someone has the audacity to act like king of the world and expect to become historical just because they claim their work “100% original and brilliant” hurt my head.

Use your brains, people.