Jack Shafer addresses the issue in Slate: Why plagiarists do it.
The best explanation in the list:
Writing Is Hard Work: A corollary to ambition exceeding talent. Even prolific writers, who can toss off a thousand words an hour, complain about the difficulty of writing. Writing well is a difficult enterprise. So is writing poorly. With so many examples of good writing out there to “borrow,” why suffer only to write poorly?Sphere: Related Content
Like everything else in life, it’s a cost-benefit analysis. What’s new is that the “cost” (i.e., the probability) of potentially getting caught has increased tremendously in the Internet age, a fact not fully incorporated into some plagiarists’ calculus — especially younger ones.
Comment by KipEsquire — Tuesday, May 2, 2024 @ 11:12 am