Copycats Fake Resiliency

Some people say that imitation is a form of flattery, but I do not think so. I believe that is a surface assessment. From my observations of imitators, after deeper analysis, I think you will often find that imitation is frequently rooted in envy. 

Imitators are often people who are insecure about themselves so they consciously or sometimes unconsciously latch on to another’s ideas co-opting them as their own. For instance, an imitator will take an original idea you had and share it with their audience without giving you credit. An imitator will mimic your style in the clothing they wear or suddenly portray themself as interested in your hobby. In the workplace, imitators take ownership of your ideas, old and new, as if they invented them. I have often observed imitators who willingly take full credit for ideas they know are not theirs allowing a large audience of people applaud them while they do not give the slightest thought about attribution.

Sadly, imitators are imposters of originality. They are also not genuine people, willingly seeking notoriety over authenticity. Imitators need for notoriety at any cost manifests deep-rooted insecurity. Imitators lack the confidence to access their own ideas so they steal the ideas of those they envy falsely portraying themself.

On the other hand, a person who shares their original ideas is a creator who seeks to add to humanity with new ways of thinking and expressions. Original thinkers are confident people who express their own thoughts and ideas adding to the human dialogue, and many times they receive little to no recognition. They are not generally sharing for recognition though, they are sharing purely for the joy of sharing the idea or creation.

Originators are resilient people with a unique sense of self and purpose derived from their own lifetime of experiences, both good and bad. Imitators try to take a shortcut to resiliency using another’s ideas wearing a mask of authenticity. Their fake path however leads only to an appearance of resiliency. Imitators may appear to have it all together but with closer observation their envy of the originator is the impetus behind their false ownership and pseudo resiliency.

In the end, even if the imitator appears to have succeeded they will never be truly resilient because their foundation is cracked by fallacy in contrast to resiliency that is solidly grounded.