Modern American author David Shields is well-known for his essays and nonfiction books that frequently question conventional narrative techniques. In one of his works, Shields explores the creative and artistic concept of using other people's work to produce something original.

Consider a painter creating their own original masterpiece by utilizing colors and methods they have learned from other artists. Shields' theory of how creative work changes over time is based on this idea. According to him, a lot of significant artists throughout history have included elements of previously written works into their own creations, much like musicians do when they sample different songs to create something new and creative.

Shields cites American rapper Vanilla Ice as an example, who rose to fame by fusing samples from previous songs into his own songs. He then makes a comparison to two modern musicians who are well-known for using a lot of sampling to produce original sounds: Girl Talk and Danger Mouse. He also cites William Burroughs, a writer who, long before the idea of sampling was popularized in hip-hop, experimented with chopping up text and rearranging it to create new narratives.

Shakespeare is also mentioned by Shields, who notes how the playwright included passages from Holinshed's "Chronicles" in "Henry VI." In a similar vein, he points out that Tchaikovsky incorporated elements of the French national anthem into his "1812 Overture."

Shields' message is that creativity frequently entails repurposing and enhancing preexisting materials. Artists from a variety of disciplines take inspiration from earlier works and turn them into something new, much like a chef combines ingredients from different cuisines to create a unique dish.

This method highlights the interconnectedness of creative processes throughout history, challenging the idea of originality as we typically understand it. Shields promotes a more inclusive and cooperative view of artistry by recognizing the impact of others on one's own work.