Imitation is...

There is an expression in English that says, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." What it means is that a person's actions, habits, and choices may be imitated by other people if they are found to be admirable. Likewise, one of the most identifiable ways that we can demonstrate our appreciation or fondness for something, or someone, is by making ourselves into a reflection of those things we admire.

To a certain extent, I think this is true and beneficial. Imitation can be a route to self-improvement, for instance. It can be a way for us to keep our own lifestyles in check, to search for ways that we can better ourselves. When we see behaviors in others that represent what we would like to see in ourselves, they may become to us a model of how we can cultivate those behaviors. Think about anyone you know who is really good at doing something. If you want to be good at doing the same thing, wouldn't you want their advice? Wouldn't you want to know how they had been able to reach that place of accomplishment?

But imitation can be a double-edged sword. We must be very discerning in who and what we choose to imitate. If we constantly compare ourselves to others it can have harmful effects on how we see ourselves. And if we do not channel our admiration appropriately, we can risk placing too much importance on another person, and we might overlook some fairly important stuff. Remember how you feel when you discover a flaw in something that you think is pretty close to perfect? We must keep this in mind when we think about people. It is a good thing to have role models, but idolizing someone can become dangerous. I bet we can all think of examples of popular figures--politicians, entertainers, athletes--who have turned out to be different than who we thought they were. Placing hope or confidence in other people is very risky; it's much better for us to have the good judgment to make wise decisions about what is worthy of imitation in the first place.

But don't get me wrong...I'm really not trying to sound nihilistic. I also think that when we hear that expression about imitation being flattery, we also must look at it from another perspective. We could all benefit from asking ourselves which qualities we have that other people could look up to. In other words, instead of focusing entirely on what I see in others that I would like to see in myself, I have to be mindful that my own actions, habits, and choices are themselves worth imitation by others. I think that that consciousness can produce an attitude of accountability that is far more valuable than working to be like someone else.
▼▽▼▼【講師】Melanie先生のバックナンバー━━━━━━━━

・【My Parents' Visit】2010.10.15 (Fri)