Originality is Dead

    Today's culture heavily depends on technology. Broadcasts, the internet, and various new innovations excite us, however many of these luxuries have little originality. Even our speech is seldom our own-- popular phrases emerge and are repeated to share with the rest of society. This method has become a lifestyle in our day and age. "Reading and writing" has become "reading only." Everything has already been discovered, and it is therefore our job to make something new with it.
    Think about it: there is no work that belongs to an individual. For example, research papers must have citations for every bit of information included. Professors assume that their students are incapable of making inferences for themselves; you must back personal knowledge with something that has already been discovered. A grocery list of each and every idea that has been referenced is then cited. Work relies on the internet which does not in fact evoke creativity but instead gets us into the habit of reading and copying.
    What happened to true art? Frida Kahlo painted self- portraits without the use of technology, but instead channeled her emotion to express new ideas of feminism, self- awareness, and resilience. Martha Graham, mother of contemporary dance defied the normal standards of dance to create her very own style. These inventors used ideas of their own to speak from within. Technology today has removed our vocal chords.
    In part, our generation has been silenced. We are told to follow the rules at all times and must face the consequences when we go our own way. Originality does not come easily when in fear of repercussions. A solution to these problems can be found within the technology. Creators should make work available to everyone. The ecology of freedom will promote society's ability to accumulate information and make inferences that are their own. Ideas will no longer have to be given up to the demoralizing processing of citing endless sources or giving credit to others that received their information from another previous source. The expression of ideas should be celebrated, not discredited. Present day culture is rich in diversity, therefore individuality and creativity is something we should all discover.