The joy of cheating

After finding out the WC's most infamous plagiarist is openly reviewing poems, it got me to thinking about the joy of cheating. http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/misterjingo/1414335/?&p=4

   Some people know I ran a marathon in October. I didn't do very well. I finished close to dead last, as they were picking up the pylons. Along the up and back course I noticed an interesting phenomenon. Twice, a man who was behind me suddenly came back down the hill ahead of me. I smiled, he ignored me. I knew he got tired, waited, and jumped back in not once, but twice during the race, just to say he made it ahead of people like me. I thought, "what's the joy in that?" I worked so hard to run the race, I wouldn't want to illegally shave one km off, let alone ten or so. A friend of mine told me about a woman who did the very same thing in Vancouver by cutting through city streets.
   Whether it is a marathon or stealing someone else's words and claiming them as one's own, the goal is glory for its own sake, false or not. Inside the cheater must be a miserable human being, lacking a sense of purpose and self worth, needing to lie to get false pats on the back.
    The person on Writer's Cafe who has claimed others' works as his own duped us in many other ways. He created false identities and generated interest in his profile by reviewing his own poems. Who knows how many of his works are actually his own, and if he has possibly published others' writing as his own? In addition, he gives false and serial reviews, and randomly spits venom at people whose work he considers beneath him. Pretty brave for a man who plagiarizes and posts. He is known through other poetry sites as well. If the administrators of the sites don't see him as a problem, I certainly do. Let's not welcome this charlatan back with open arms. Let's make it known he is not welcome back.
    When people asked me how well I did in my race, I told them I finished, but not well. But at least, I got over that line without shaving off a single metre of 42.2 kilometres, and that is a hell of a lot better than running back down the hill when you think no one is looking. And every word I write, imperfect as it may be, is mine, and if credit needs to be given to an author or an inspiration, I always make note of it. There is no joy in cheating your way to the top, in racing, or in writing.

Reviews

[charlie]

"Inside the cheater must be a miserable human being, lacking a sense of purpose and self worth..." maybe these words are very true, and this is exactly the profile of a false, deceptive character. Or maybe cheaters really don't care and are happy, after all, with their behaviour... Who knows? But one does wonder (if I may ponder out-loud in response to your post): what is the best way to respond to "a miserable human being, lacking a sense of purpose and self worth"? For those people who wish to be the best versions of themselves, I think it is an important question to consider...

Thanks for a thought provoking write, Goode

[Lyn Anderson]

I can realize someone is sick, and say "that's too bad" without letting him in to rob me blind. In addition, his actions were far more severe and twisted than simple copying of words. He personally messaged people, lied and manipulated, and ran 20 or more ids to dupe people. If people think that we should then say "that's okay, we feel sorry for you, come dupe us some more," I guess that is up to them. I lived with an abusive manipulator already. I came here in part to get away from him. Thank you for your words and your review, I appreciate the feedback. I will continue to feel strongly about this. He is openly sending read requests which people are responding to, I suppose, because they think it is the right thing to do.

[Neville]

absolutely word perfect...

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks. I forgot about this one. Seems a lifetime ago

[Neville]

Still mighty fine and dear to my own heart

[jjwilbourne]

What's the point in writing if you don't get a "I wrote this" feeling at the end? I suppose it's like you say: they want a pat on the back from others.
Writing (especially long form) is like a marathon. As a writer we can only smile at those running back down the hill and keep working at our craft.
Excellent analogy here.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you for stopping in. As Rene Salinas said, a plagiarist is an "anti-writer"

[realmwriter]

Absolutely true KL. I detest those whole steal what others have written, or ran, or painted, or drew, or created from nothing. I cherish very little in this world. My Daughters, family, friends and my creativity are those things that I do cherish and for someone to come along and think they can try and steel that creativity from me is tantamount to harming my children in my opinion. You may as well spit on me along the way. If I could, I would give him a taste of his own bitter medicine. It's funny how the cough syrup doesn't taste so good when you are the person that has to drink it.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks so much. I appreciate the feedback. There are people in here who think I am beating a cruel drum, kicking some poor mentally ill man when he is down. Well, I am sorry, but he shouldn't get a free pass because his actions are sick. And enabling someone is not helping anyway.

[realmwriter]

You"re welcome. Hell, I don't mind kicking a dead horse, but I think in this case it aint dead yet.

[ANM]

You are so right they are only deceiving themselves if you cannot be true to yourself you will never be true to anyone else!!

[Lyn Anderson]

thank you I appreciate the review.

[ANM]

You are very welcome!

[Jaybam]

Well no matter how u did the fact that u completed the race makes u a winner. No matter what place a cheater comes in they already lost the race and there sense of pride.

[Lyn Anderson]

I agree. Thank you. I could easily have quit at the half and told everyone back home I finished. But I didn't work that hard to quit or cheat.

[renaprad]

Imperfectly truthful -human. Unfortunately not everyone has something to give -and questionable ethics.

[Lyn Anderson]

Yes, thank you, I appreciate the review.

[TL Boehm]

I wasn't aware he was staging a comeback. That's bold.smart writing. We should rally behind this post and keep him and others like him off the site

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks. He did come back, and was reviewed and welcomed by several writers, even ones aware of the proven plagiarism. However, the admin finally paid attention and he has been closed out. There are still a few of his fake IDs out there, so it remains to be seen what will happen.

[iveltac]

Review for The joy of cheating

I agree with you. Cheating is for idioits who have no life. They only cheat for fame and glory and to look good.

Very nice article by the way. Sounds like something a journalist would write. I found no mistakes and grammer is perefect. Keep up the good work.

Review for And so the sun loved the moon

Nice story and very nice grammer. The story is so right and people cheat where everyone can see. After you read this you think about a lot of different things. Thanks for the good story. Keep up the good work.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you I appreciate it. I was a journalist in another life, it rubs off some times.

[iveltac]

:p what do you mean?

[Lyn Anderson]

I used to be a journalist. Sometimes it shows.

[iveltac]

oh. You said in another life. And there is nothing wrong with being a journalist. I wanna be one. and i wanna be a writer.

[Lyn Anderson]

I have had a couple careers. I didn't like being chained to a desk and a boss. I prefer freelance.

[iveltac]

yeah thats what i wanna do to. A free lance writer and journalist. :p

[NoelHC]

This just in a few moments ago, on searching on the plagiarist's account
Closed
This account has been closed by the administrators.

Bloody well about time they woke up.

[Lyn Anderson]

Yahoo and thanks to everyone who sees this as a problem

[therisa]

Thanks for the update, Noel. That's great news.

[Bright Ocean Star]

Whoo-hoo! Thank you, Noel, for keeping up with the rat. Much appreciated...:)

[NoelHC]

Probably maintained, but silent in order to keep a window open into WC, for when the coast is clear to return.

[Lyn Anderson]

It is a relief. There are people willing to worry about what is right and stop thinking about his feelings. Yeah, okay, it's sad, but so are serial killers who were beaten by their parents.

[MomzillaNC]

I will always believe plagiarism -- indeed, any creative theft -- is the enslavement of some else's genius. I think I'll reissue the challenge to write a poem castigating plagiarists.