One of the big downsides of the internet is the cold water it constantly pours on my idea of my own originality. Every time I think of a great idea I find someone else has already thought of it
(well, almost every time)
(well, almost every time)
that's because an idea's greatness does not come from the creator, but from the other people affected by the idea. And most ideas dont affect anyone.
Does that mean, that the idea is commonly known? Not necessarily.
It is also still an original idea in terms of you having thought, that was not easily derived from what you know (but probably somehow derived, like all thought likely is).
Closest you can get are unique sentences.
There is no parallel chains of unconnected thought.
We are barely, rarely more than the sum of our parts on average.
We have very convincing illusions of free will though - like the apparent exhibition of agency.