NHR Research Assignment

The source I researched was Silent Theft by David Bollier. The reading came from “The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism,” most notably, from the section “You Can’t Steal a Gift.” The introduction opens up with a case study on the West Publishing Company, a company which monopolized the pagination of certain legal documents, and therefore held control over the majority of legal cases in the US. Bollier writes this section with all the markings of an early 20th century muckraker, intent on digging up all the travesties of the company while still giving detailed facts on the case. Bollier then begins to discuss the general topic of property and the “commons,” however, he begins to twist the West Publishing Co. story differently. He asserts that “business … is no more a villain than a lion whose metabolism needs gazelles” (Bollier, 4). His tone then becomes an advisory tone, pointing out not to generalize everything, and that protecting the commons calls for a balance of property and free use. He maintains this tone, providing information to the reader when applicable, arguing his case along the way. He treats his audience as someone new to the topic, with little knowledge of the subject, but at the same time, does not belittle their intelligence by over-explaining or over-simplifying his arguments. Bollier eases the reader into his perspective, giving ample support for each point and doesn’t jump from conclusion to conclusion. His conclusions tend to occur after he guides the reader through his thought process and add to his overall argument.

Bollier, David. Silent Theft: The Private Plunder of Our Common Wealth. New York: Routledge, 2002. Community-Wealth.org. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Link: http://community-wealth.org/content/silent-theft-private-plunder-our-common-wealth