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The New York Times stole my Ragan.com story. I can prove it.
On the Times Web site Monday, Bob Harris wrote this blog post: “Isn’t It Ironic? Probably Not.” On Friday, Ragan.com ran my story, “You understand irony, right?”
Interesting coincidence, eh? Perhaps you’re thinking, “Surely Harris’s article, published a full weekend after yours, discusses something other than how irony is abused and how it should be used?” Afraid not.
Harris defines irony in simple terms; so did I — three days before him.
He highlights other forms of speech mistaken for irony; so did I — three days before him.
He mentions Alanis Morissette’s song supposedly about irony; so did I — three days before him.
Have I shocked you yet?
Well my co-workers remain unconvinced. “The Times piece only appeared three days after yours,” they claim. Exactly, I tell them, it was a blog and those take less time to write and post than a newspaper article. Harris clearly read my article on Friday and whipped something together for Monday.
“Irony is a universal topic — evergreen really — plus the post appeared on the paper’s blog about books,” my co-workers say. And my article appeared on a Web site for corporate communicators, I reply. What’s your point?
They insist: “Morissette’s ‘Ironic’ is, like, the most talked about song on the topic, because her examples of irony are anything but.” Uh-huh, whatever.
Judge for yourself. My article. His article.
You're welcome for the link Mister Harris, but beware, I’m on to you.
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It doesn't, Colin. Here are four reasons why:
1. This story has yet to gain traction. People are talking about it, and...
Comments (19)
Brilliant!
Posted by Seerlerrorie | August 2, 2008 8:19 PM
Posted on August 2, 2008 20:19
Hey, maybe YOU stole GraphJam's very funny graph of incorrect usage of "irony" in Alanis Morissette's song. The title of the graph (from April 23, by the way) is "Use a dictionary. Please." Check it out at http://graphjam.com/?s=ironic
Posted by Toni Antonetti | July 28, 2008 6:09 PM
Posted on July 28, 2008 18:09
Hey guys . . . you understand sarcasm, right?
Posted by Evonne | July 9, 2008 3:46 PM
Posted on July 9, 2008 15:46
The inclusion of the Alanis song as an example doesn't prove your point. I was in college when the song came out and as an English major every one of my professors had something to say about it. I'm guessing it has been used in every college/university since that year as an example of what irony is NOT.
Do want to say though that yours certainly is the better article!
Posted by Suzanne | July 7, 2008 11:46 AM
Posted on July 7, 2008 11:46
Hey Betsy, I stole the Carlin quote and gave it to Eggers--incorrectly. Thanks for catching it.
Posted by Michael Sebastian | July 6, 2008 11:42 AM
Posted on July 6, 2008 11:42
You should listen to your coworkers. It's possible that your story idea was taken. It's also possible that it wasn't, that this was only coincidence. Blaming the NYT makes for a catchy headline, but when you identify a specific writer and accuse him of stealing your story, you're impugning his integrity. To do that, you need to have more than a sense of omniscience and a psychic wound. You need solid evidence. You don't have it, because defining irony in simple terms is basic and giving Alana Moirissette's song as an example of the misuse of the word irony could occur to anyone who knows what irony is and hears the song. So the story and timing could be coincidence. Given that, the gracious thing to do is to give the other guy the benefit of the doubt. It's the idea of "innocent until PROVEN guilty."
Posted by Tom Schneider | July 4, 2008 8:18 AM
Posted on July 4, 2008 08:18
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery...
Posted by Mike | July 4, 2008 4:21 AM
Posted on July 4, 2008 04:21
I'm wondering, as I read, whether this really matters at all. Let's face it: there's a strong shift underway away from traditional notions of intellectual property and toward notions of open collaboration that generate value through different mechanisms.
Your blog is part of this trend. While I pay for my Times, I receive your content for free. I don't know Ragan's business plan, but I have to imagine your blog exists to get people to the Ragan site, which in turn exists to get clients for Ragan's services.
The Times writer is probably paid by the word, reflecting the older business model under which the Times struggles. You, on the other hand, are most likely paid to show up and work.
So, while it's interesting, in an academic way, to wonder whether the Times found something worth repeating in what you said, given your business model, it doesn't seem terribly important.
That, to me, is the larger story.
Posted by David Kippen | July 3, 2008 6:37 PM
Posted on July 3, 2008 18:37
Well, your coworkers are cynics, Michael, aren't they? And you would love them less if they weren't so skeptical, admit it. Besides, it's just fun to tease you, and you laid yourself wide open this time.
But as I told you before, of COURSE I believe you! No, really! I do! Honest!
Posted by Joan H. | July 3, 2008 3:33 PM
Posted on July 3, 2008 15:33
What's the big deal? When I was in TV news, we "stole" ideas from the newspaper every day!
Posted by Kathy Kerchner | July 3, 2008 2:34 PM
Posted on July 3, 2008 14:34
You credit Dave Eggers in "A Heartbreaking Work ..." for the story or the diabetic killed by a truckful of insulin. The same story -- word for word -- is credited at http://www.sense.net/~blaine/funstuff/carlin.html as an excerpt from George Carlin's "Brain Droppings." Who stole what from whom?
Posted by Betsy | July 3, 2008 2:29 PM
Posted on July 3, 2008 14:29
Very un-ironically, your article is better. I agree with Sue. The NYT readers would have been better served if he'd stolen your entire article instead of just the idea.
Posted by Amy | July 3, 2008 12:36 PM
Posted on July 3, 2008 12:36
Interesting... and ironic?
Posted by Greta Brand | July 3, 2008 11:38 AM
Posted on July 3, 2008 11:38
"The New York Times is bugging our house again!" At least once a week, my husband and I notice that our dinner conversation topics show up as articles in the Times. If we didn't know better, you'd think that the newsroom was spying on us. In reality, this stuff is just in the air...
Lisa
Posted by Lisa | July 3, 2008 11:27 AM
Posted on July 3, 2008 11:27
All this talk of "is it, is it not," leaves me a bit bewildered and rutty, and I admit that I still don't know whether this or that is "Irony".
I propose moving forward the word "Eironing, or to Eiron" means "the act or process of sorting out whether something is, in fact, Irony or just coincidence, etc."
The spelling is a nod to that original Greek, but sound is exactly the same as the Irony we explore as to further aid Confusion.
As for Harris, finally you get someone from the NYTines to read your stuff and what does he do? Steals it and calls it his.
Is that irony? Let the eirony begin.
Posted by Daddles | July 3, 2008 10:58 AM
Posted on July 3, 2008 10:58
Would it be too crushingly smug to suggest that given your explanation of the difference between irony and coincidence, the whole situation is somewhat, um, ironic?
Posted by Robin Brown | July 3, 2008 9:58 AM
Posted on July 3, 2008 09:58
If the Times dude had actually stolen your article, his readers would have been better served.
The thing with writing about weird things popular culutre is that - well - it's popular. So if you've noticed something worth commenting on, chances are good that someone else has, too.
Cheers - S
Posted by Sue Johnston | July 3, 2008 9:35 AM
Posted on July 3, 2008 09:35
Hmm....very interesting....I think it's just a coincidence though..... and I like your article better
Posted by Anonymous | July 3, 2008 9:26 AM
Posted on July 3, 2008 09:26
Unfortunately, none of us have a monopoly on ideas. While this is an interesting coincidence, it doesn't necessarily mean that Harris took your idea. And even if he did, it doesn't mean he did anything wrong.
Now, if he took your work word for word, a la Jayson Blair, then you have a definite complaint. Until then, you can only make fun of him as an idea-stealing hoodlum.
Posted by Erik Deckers | July 3, 2008 8:12 AM
Posted on July 3, 2008 08:12