The Sanction Chronicles by Dylan Strickland

We all like to think that when someone produces a piece of work, it is their ideas – or at least their perceptions or spin on ideas – that are being represented. It, in the end, plagiarism is so immoral because it is a form of cheating – hence the vitriol and anger normally directed towards plagiarists upon the discovery of their malfeasance. Genuine insight and especially the sort of word-craft that alight the senses are difficult to produce with regularity and require not only-talent, but continual work and refinement of craft. It is dishonest in that it represents not only intellectual dishonesty, but also intellectual laziness. Similarly, the naked theft of the work of others, in whole or in part, is to be scorned. It is taken as natural that someone should be recognized for the excellence of their work and reap whatever benefits producing said work rewards. Intellectual and artistic honesty remain some of the most important features within a free society. It can be said that the work of a great artist should be beyond seemingly petty nit-picking, however, when the work of a great artist is no longer truly his own, does that person ceases to be a great artist? It can be argued that what Dylan is now doing – namely the naked theft of the work of others – has reduced him in stature. 1, Bob Dylan appears to have crossed a line and has resorted to plagiarism.

Somewhere along the line, and most evident in his album Modern Times and his memoir Chronicles Vol. Dylan’s work has varied in quality and in subject matter over-time, but has remained firmly rooted within this folk tradition, borrowing the odd-melody here or phrase there, but often creating new work, within new contexts that has often amounted to more than the sum of its parts. Folk musicians – most notably Bob Dylan, have always sprinkled their work takings from the tradition, giving their work added depth and imbuing it with a sense of timelessness.

A tired adage states that: “talent borrows but genius steals.” This has certainly been true of the folk tradition in which homage and the borrowing of ideas has always been an integral part.

The Sanction Chronicles by Dylan Strickland