Did David Brooks plagiarize Woody Allen in his current piece at the NYT? You decide.

[trumad]

The opening paragraphs in Brooks current piece:

" My fellow Americans, it is an honor to address the Democratic National Convention at this defining moment in history. We stand at a crossroads at a pivot point, near a fork in the road on the edge of a precipice in the midst of the most consequential election since last year’s “American Idol.”

One path before us leads to the past, and the extinction of the human race. The other path leads to the future, when we will all be dead. We must choose wisely."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/opinion/29brooks.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Woody Allen's Speech to College Graduates.

"More than at any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly. I speak, by the way, not with any sense of futility, but with a panicky conviction of the absolute meaninglessness of existence that could easily be misinterpreted as pessimisim. It is not. It is merely a healthy concern for the predicament of modern man."
http://www.holycross.edu/departments/socant/dhummon/smile/woody.html

It looks pretty damn close to me.

BTW: This was spotted in the comment section of Brooks current piece.

[C_U_L8R]

1. Without attribution to Woody, I think that qualifies

I think the NYT editors need to respond.

[grannie4peace]

2. no

[trumad]

3. No---why not?

[onenote]

4. no

[Az]

5. It bears a passing resemblance to any crossroads speach

If anything he needs to give attribution to Robert Johnson. But Woody Allen? Other than the word crossroad I don't see what you are getting at.

[trumad]

6. beg to differ

Allen:"One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.

Brooks: "One path before us leads to the past, and the extinction of the human race. The other path leads to the future, when we will all be dead. We must choose wisely."

Sorry--- but I think he totally lifted that line from Allen.

[skiddlybop]

7. Totally.

He's obviously had this in his pocket for the last month and a half so he wouldn't have to write something while he was picking up his face off the goddam floor following Obama's speech.

[Ian David]

8. They're different enough for the Brooks version to suck. n/t

[nxylas]

9. Well, quite

It's quite an achievement to steal from Woody Allen and still be that unfunny.