Nothing is original, says Kirby Ferguson, creator of Everything is a Remix. From Bob Dylan to Steve Jobs, he says our most celebrated creators borrow, steal and transform.
What’s a remix? In Kirby Ferguson’s view, any piece of art that contains a recognizable reference to another work–a quote from a lyric, a borrowed riff, a filmic homage. Which makes almost everything a remix, from a Led Zeppelin song to a classic film from George Lucas. His deeply researched and insanely fun four-part web series, Everything Is a Remix, dives into the question: Is remixing a form of creativity, a production of the new on the shoulders of what precedes it, or is it just copying? He comes out firmly on the side of creativity, calling for protections for people who, with good intentions, weave together bits of existing culture into something fresh and relevant.
via TED
We are not self-made. We are dependent on one another. Admitting this to ourselves isn’t an embrace of mediocrity and derivativeness, it’s a liberation from our misconceptions.
Kirby Ferguson via blog
NOTHING IS NEW. DEAL WITH IT. Steal, remix, re-edit, recombine, rework, make it better, innovate. This is the best you can do.
Buy it, use it, break it, fix it, trash it, change it, mail…upgrade it. Charge it, point it, zoom it, press it, snap it, work it, quick…erase it. Write it, cut it, paste it, save it, load it, check it, quick…rewrite it. Plug it, play it, burn it, rip it, drag and drop it, zip…unzip it. Lock it, fill it, call it, find it, view it, code it, jam…unlock it. Surf it, scroll it, pause it, click it, cross it, crack it, switch…update it. Name it, rate it, tune it, print it, scan it, send it, fax…rename it. Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it, turn it, leave it, start…format it.
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