Podcast Summary: "Why It's Good to Feel Guilty & How Plagiarism Really Works"

Podcast: Something You Should Know
Host: Mike Carruthers
Guests: Dr. Chris Moore (Developmental Psychologist, Author), Dr. Roger Cruz (Psychology Professor, Author)
Date: January 15, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode is divided into two main segments:

1. The unexpected benefits and complexities of guilt, featuring Dr. Chris Moore.
2. The true nature, legalities, and culture of plagiarism, featuring Dr. Roger Cruz.

Mike Carruthers takes an in-depth look at how guilt, despite being an uncomfortable feeling, is a vital tool for maintaining healthy relationships and societal norms, and then turns to the tangled world of plagiarism—how it's defined, why it's often misunderstood, and how our laws and technology are changing how we think about "original work."

Segment 1: The Surprising Power of Guilt

Guest: Dr. Chris Moore
Relevant Timestamps: [06:09] – [27:03]

What is Guilt and Why Do We Feel It?

• Guilt Defined as a Social Emotion

  • “Guilt is the emotion that motivates us to do something about healing our relationships when we've done something to harm them."
    — Dr. Chris Moore [06:22]

• Purpose of Guilt

  • Guilt’s evolutionary and psychological role is to help humans maintain and repair social bonds ([06:47]).
  • Without guilt, relationships (and, by extension, society) would fall apart.
  • “One of the characteristics of psychopaths is that they don't feel any guilt. ...Of course, the relationships the psychopaths have are severely disrupted.”
    — Dr. Chris Moore [08:08]

Guilt Gone Awry: When Feelings Become Harmful

• Guilt Proneness & Mental Health
  • People vary greatly in how often and intensely they feel guilt.
  • Excessive, unresolved guilt is linked to emotional disorders like depression and PTSD ([08:42]).
  • “Guilt tends to exacerbate or make depression worse, and it tends to prolong it.”
    — Dr. Chris Moore [09:49]

How Guilt Steers Us

• Resolving Guilt

  • Forgiveness by the harmed party usually eases guilt ([10:38]).
  • When self-imposed standards are the issue, self-forgiveness becomes necessary.
  • “At the most basic layer, guilt is dissipated by forgiveness from the person that you care about. ...The most important thing is to recognize that perhaps you're holding yourself to too high a standard...cut yourself some slack.”
    — Dr. Chris Moore [10:38]

• On Apologies and Repeated Offenses

  • True apologies require change; repeated mistakes undermine forgiveness ([12:54]).
  • “If you keep messing up in the same way...continuing to apologize is not necessarily going to work...forgiveness can be withdrawn.”
    — Dr. Chris Moore [12:54]

Is Guilt Real, or Just Fear of Getting Caught?

• Impact of Being "Caught"
  • Guilt arises when the risk to a relationship becomes real—often when one's actions are revealed ([14:19]).
  • “When you get caught, that’s proof that the relationship is under threat...there comes the guilt.”
    — Dr. Chris Moore [14:19]

Emotional Components & Misplaced Guilt

• Guilt as a ‘Complex’ Emotion:

  • Includes empathy, sadness, self-directed anger, and fear ([17:39]).
  • Feeling guilt even when not personally responsible is common—the “gut” nature of emotional processing ([21:25]).
  • Example: Feeling guilty when benefiting at another's expense, even without wrongdoing ([21:25]).

• Memorable Exchange:
  Mike: “So you're driving ...somebody hits your car, and then your car slides into somebody else's ...you still feel guilty...but you didn’t do it.”
  Chris: “Guilt is an emotional reaction. It's more like a gut reaction. It's not a rational process...” ([21:25])

The Role and Value of Forgiveness (and Self-Forgiveness)

• When Forgiveness Cannot Be Found
  • Self-forgiveness is essential when efforts to repair are rejected:
    "If you can say to yourself, yes, I would forgive them under those circumstances, then it's only natural that you should forgive yourself..."
    — Dr. Chris Moore [24:35]

Guilt as a Societal Guardrail

• Summing Up:
  • “We need to have those kind of psychological mechanisms, those guardrails, as you put it, the emotions that do keep us on the straight and narrow.”
    — Dr. Chris Moore [26:16]
  • Without guilt, society would “be complete chaos."
    — Dr. Chris Moore [26:30]

Segment 2: The Realities of Plagiarism

Guest: Dr. Roger Cruz
Relevant Timestamps: [28:44] – [49:15]

Defining Plagiarism

• Dr. Roger Cruz’s Definition

  • “Appropriation of someone else’s words or ideas without acknowledgement or compensation.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [30:39]

• Intent is Murky

  • Plagiarism covers everything from unwitting borrowing to flagrant copying ([30:55]).
  • “We have a very broad term that runs the gamut from simple inadvertent failure to solicitation to wholesale copying.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [30:55]

• Plagiarism is Ubiquitous

  • Not just in term papers or books; appears in music, maps, encyclopedias, and creative industries ([31:37]).

The Gray Area: Originality vs. Inevitable Similarity

• Where’s the Line?

  • Copyright law, not plagiarism, is what courts judge ([32:32]).
  • “Plagiarism itself is not illegal, but copyright infringement is.”
  • “Ultimately...it comes down to what you can convince a judge or a jury to believe.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [32:32]

• Iconic Example

  • George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” vs. The Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine."
    • Even unintended similarity ("subconscious plagiarism") can be grounds for legal action ([33:59]).
    • “Even if you aren't intending to copy, if it can be proven...that you were copying, then it doesn’t matter…”
      — Dr. Roger Cruz [33:59]

How Much is Too Much?

• Quantity of Similarity – Still Subjective
  • No specific number of notes or words determines plagiarism ([35:08]).
  • “Intent is really the point...if a judge or a jury believes that there is substantial similarity...they can be awarded damages.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [35:08]

The Role of Lawsuits and Settlements

• Plagiarism Only Matters if Challenged

  • Often settled quietly out of court, especially with fan fiction and homage ([36:54]).
  • “Trying to imitate that work can cross a line that some artists might find very problematic.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [36:17]

• Fan Fiction – A Modern Gray Area

  • Some authors encourage it; others litigate or send cease-and-desist letters ([36:57]).

Prevalence and Modern Challenges

• More Common than You Think

  • Cases resolved out of court are widespread ([38:56]).
  • The topic of plagiarism is more frequently mentioned in media than ever before.
  • “There’s a mention of plagiarism about once a week in the New York Times...that has increased dramatically...”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [39:56]

• Changing Notions of ‘Originality’

  • Shakespeare routinely borrowed plots; only recently has “intellectual property” emerged as a concept ([40:56]).

Detection and Defense

• Legally, ‘I Didn’t Know’ Isn’t a Defense

  • “The U.S. case law is pretty clear. The defense I didn't know or I wasn't aware is problematic.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [41:51]

• Typical Legal Remedies

  • In music, the offender may be added as a co-writer and share royalties ([43:02]).

• Why Do Plagiarists Take Risks?

  • Some theorize a compulsion to steal work; often, the motivation remains a mystery ([44:09]).
  • “Even having thought about this now for several years, I'm still mystified by this...I'm not really convinced by that argument [that plagiarists want to get caught], but...I don't really have a better explanation.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [44:09]

• Plagiarism Is Both Easier to Commit and Easier to Detect

  • The sheer volume of new content and improved detection tools make the landscape more complex ([44:59]).

The Limits of Originality

• Songs and History Writing: Uniqueness Is Elusive
  • For subjects with limited vocabulary (music, historical events), “parallel invention” is almost inevitable ([47:07]; [47:44]).
  • “There’s only going to be a relatively small number of combinations that are going to be considered aesthetically pleasing in our culture...it really is a very limited vocabulary that these artists are working with.”
    — Dr. Roger Cruz [47:44]

Final Takeaway

• Intentional Plagiarism Isn’t the Only Risk
  • Even accidental similarity can trigger legal and reputational consequences.
  • “Deliberately isn’t a defense.”
    — Host Mike Carruthers [48:37]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Guilt:

• “Guilt is the emotion that motivates us to do something about healing our relationships when we’ve done something to harm them.”
  — Dr. Chris Moore [06:22]

• “If you keep messing up in the same way...forgiveness can be withdrawn.”
  — Dr. Chris Moore [12:54]

On Plagiarism:

• “Plagiarism covers everything from unwitting borrowing to flagrant copying.”
  — Dr. Roger Cruz [30:55]

• “There are people who claim that plagiarists want to get caught...I'm not really convinced by that argument, but at the same time I don't really have a better explanation.”
  — Dr. Roger Cruz [44:09]

• “Deliberately isn't a defense.”
  — Host Mike Carruthers [48:37]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [06:09] Introduction to Dr. Chris Moore; Defining guilt

• [08:42] Guilt proneness and mental health

• [09:49] Guilt and depression

• [10:38] Resolving guilt through forgiveness/self-forgiveness

• [12:54] Repeated mistakes and forgiveness in relationships

• [14:19] Guilt vs. being caught

• [17:39] Emotional makeup of guilt

• [21:25] Misplaced guilt and gut reactions

• [24:35] When self-forgiveness is required

• [26:16] Guilt as a societal guardrail

• [28:44] Introduction to Dr. Roger Cruz; Defining plagiarism

• [32:32] Legal standards—copyright vs. plagiarism

• [33:59] The “My Sweet Lord” case & subconscious copying

• [35:08] No clear-cut threshold for similarity

• [36:54] Fan fiction, lawsuits, and private settlements

• [39:56] Is plagiarism increasing?

• [44:09] Psychological theories on why people plagiarize

• [47:44] The limits of originality in songwriting

Overall Tone & Style

Mike Carruthers explores these topics with curiosity and an accessible, conversational style. Both guests provide grounded, clear expertise, blending practical advice, research findings, and memorable real-world examples.

Final Takeaways

• Guilt is uncomfortable but serves an important purpose in forging and maintaining healthy relationships. It’s not just a negative feeling—it’s a motivator for empathy, apology, and repair.
• Plagiarism is more complex than most realize, often blurring the line between original and borrowed. Modern creativity and legal systems struggle with intent, originality, and ever-evolving norms.
• In both cases, self-awareness, fairness, and striving for meaningful connection—whether in relationships or creative work—are key to ethical living.

For further reading, check out:

• The Power of Guilt: Why We Feel It and Its Surprising Ability to Heal by Chris Moore
• Strikingly: Plagiarism and Appropriation from Chaucer to Chatbot by Roger Cruz

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