Imitation is NOT always the sincerest form of flattery.
As we approach Father’s Day and the start of the summer season, always a good map purchasing time of year, I had my interest and concern piqued by something that is becoming more and more of an issue in today’s digital world. That is, stealing of images (and just about everything else). This started with hearing from an old colleague and purveyor of maps who was in a restaurant on Long Beach Island, New Jersey recently and was interested to see one of my maps on the wall. Except it wasn’t actually one of mine. It was in black-and-white, had the identifying label removed (along with the copyright notification) and had been cut and mounted as a triptych. Imagine her and my surprise! I had never been contacted by anyone to allow this and clearly this was a blatant act of piracy on the part of a vendor without scruples. And, although I’m upset by what is clearly possible in today’s digital age, it’s not just the commercial injury. Yes, someone should not be able to profit from my work without permission or compensation, but what is much more depressing is the evidence of the continued downward moral spiral of our common sense of decency and integrity. The person who did this knew exactly what they were doing or they wouldn’t have bothered to remove (not very professionally I might add, see the lower right corner of the image) the identifying information. They were stealing with impunity and thought very little of it. What, after all was I, or anyone else who found out, going to do about it? And another piece of the dignity and cooperation that binds us together as a society is tattered. Hopefully all the Fathers who are being honored know that this is the wrong message to pass along to their children. Fathers and maps share the aspect of helping us successfully navigate unfamiliar territory, whether that be con men or shoals. Don’t be drawn in by false packaging. Look deeper below the surface and don’t accept less than the real deal. As we continue to confront the erosion of the protections of our personal data, don’t go quietly!