Has it ever occurred to you that something you may do well (cooking, writing, styling) is being imitated by one of your friends right now? Something you thought to be a silly technique or preference that you’ve adopted, may be an action that has inspired the people around you to change their spaghetti recipe or their hair style. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Some people in this day in age get so worked up over the idea that someone is ripping them off, trying to be like them, and are unoriginal, that they haven’t stopped to realize who would we all be if we didn’t imitate the great ideas of others and bring them into our everyday lives?
I decided to start wearing my hair curly. I switched out all of my products for all-natural sprays, conditioners, shampoos, you name it. I stopped using heat and progressively my curly hair became poofy and healthy. Friends and family members saw this, admired the dedication I had to this one aspect of my life, and…well…imitated it! They asked me what I did to get it this way, what technique did I use, how did I style it, and of course I explained it all, but I was a little taken aback. I thought, “jeez, why is everyone trying to rip off something that I’m doing?” But then after awhile I realized, these people that are asking me for tips on my hair are asking me because they enjoy what I’m doing, they think it works, and they want to be just as adventurous in their life as I seemed to be in mine. I couldn’t help but feel flattered.
Of course there is the fine line between imitation and straight-up stealing. In the creative fields, whether you put your all into a project, a song, a design, seeing it reproduced by someone online or in your community, without giving credit, can be the greatest insult ever. When someone works hard at creating an expressive form of their own art, whether it be a song, poem, or dress, it means something to them that is beyond a silly attempt at creating a similar hairstyle. Inspiration is an uplifting feeling, giving us the ability to think beyond what we’ve been capable of, and utilize the thoughts of others to show us a new path. Be yourself, but also don’t be afraid to be inspired by others and imitate a little. This world is full of splashes of imitation mixed with innovation; you never know what could come of showing a little flattery.
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