or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
November 20, 2007
Why Does Joseph Addison Keep Copying Me?
Some time ago I was angered when I saw that Thomas Jefferson was copying me. But now I've learned that, regarding the same exact thought, Joseph Addison (1672-1719) has been copying Jefferson.
Thus, by the transitive law of copying, Addison has been copying me. And there's likely someone who lived even earlier who's been copying him, which means they've also been copying me. History is nothing but a long line of people who've stolen my thoughts before I had them. I Should Be Allowed To Think!
Posted at November 20, 2007 10:49 AM | TrackBackAnd Addison was just ripping off Bill S. Preston, Esq.'s advice to "be excellent to each other."
The great wheel of pre-plagiarism keeps turning.
Posted by: John Caruso at November 20, 2007 11:36 AMHe's actually reaching for his gat. The original "Addison's Principle of Humanity" read:
Half the Mifery of human Life might be extinguifhed, would men alleviate the general Curfe they lie undere, by mutual Offices of Compafsion, Benevolence and Humanity, and would they conceal about their Perfons a reliable Fire-arme.
Posted by: Doctorb Science at November 20, 2007 05:49 PMDoctor Science, I hereby declare you Today's Winner. Although everyone else is close behind.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at November 20, 2007 08:45 PMhehheh - he said "close behind"
you wanna get real mad, just think about all the guys who plagiarized your crush on that 6th-grade french teacher. i think you can get them for that under the digital millennium copyright act.
Posted by: heh heh at November 20, 2007 09:56 PMjust think about all the guys who plagiarized your crush on that 6th-grade french teacher
Wait, how did you find out about that? Have I mentioned it, or do I just seem like the kind of person who'd have such a crush?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING INSIDE MY HEAD?!?
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at November 20, 2007 10:20 PMWHAT ARE YOU DOING INSIDE MY HEAD?!?
That's what my first girlfriend said.
Posted by: heh heh at November 20, 2007 10:26 PM1-202-225-0100 DEMAND IMPEACHMENT. (it's what's on my mind)
Posted by: Mike Meyer at November 20, 2007 11:34 PMthat darn Joseph Addison. It's pretty lucky for him we don't have time travel or you could go back and give him a peace of your mind. you could even fetch George Washington and bring him back so he could be a pundit on Hardball. (Of course he might blow his brains out if he had a chance to watch some cable first, and they'd just bitch about his untelegenic teeth.)
Posted by: jonathan versen at November 21, 2007 06:47 AM
