Is imitation a form of flattery?

[stan1980]

Being the trend setter that I am, I constantly have to live with my friends copying my style, loosely stealing my jokes and sayings, retelling my witty anecdotes and passing them off as their own right in front of me. You get the picture. As you can imagine, it's tough for a person like me to remain at the top of the the social pecking order, having to live with the pressure of knowing all my peers look up to me and are waiting on my every move, but what can you do?

(Note: The above may or may not be lies and exaggerations)

But seriously though, do you find imitation flattering or do you find it irritating and look at it as theft? Do you have a problem with imitating other people?

Edit: And imitating this thread wont be very funny, just in case any comedians out there get any ideas.

 

[LittleNipper]

Being the trend setter that I am, I constantly have to live with my friends copying my style, loosely stealing my jokes and sayings, retelling my witty anecdotes and passing them off as their own right in front of me. You get the picture. As you can imagine, it's tough for a person like me to remain at the top of the the social pecking order, having to live with the pressure of knowing all my peers look up to me and are waiting on my every move, but what can you do?

(Note: The above may or may not be lies and exaggerations)

But seriously though, do you find imitation flattering or do you find it irritating and look at it as theft? Do you have a problem with imitating other people?

Edit: And imitating this thread wont be very funny, just in case any comedians out there get any ideas.

Hey, I steal good jokes wherever they are found. Yes, I've found that if a style or trend strikes me, I will copy it in my own way. When the original Raiders of the Lost Ark came out, I got myself a fedora and a worn looking leather jacket. I started wearing Dickie work clothes. I still like that look. I raided the used clothing places looking for garish vintage ties. The wilder the better! My wife to be hated my pariot necktie. However, I found that even though women say that hate them, they always seem to get turned on easier when a guy wears one. My guess is that it makes them think a fellow is both somewhat clean-cut but has an underlying daring wild streak.

 

[keith99]

Imitation is quite flattering.

I find it nice when others imitate the better parts of what I do.

But I'll agree it would be frustrating if others imitatted the entire package. I don't want a bunch of me clones out there.

 

[FaithLikeARock]

Imitation is flattering until it becomes creepy. Then it's just creepy.

 

[Athene]

It's flattering as long as it doesn't become obsession.

 

[tapero]

Being the trend setter that I am, I constantly have to live with my friends copying my style, loosely stealing my jokes and sayings, retelling my witty anecdotes and passing them off as their own right in front of me. You get the picture. As you can imagine, it's tough for a person like me to remain at the top of the the social pecking order, having to live with the pressure of knowing all my peers look up to me and are waiting on my every move, but what can you do?

(Note: The above may or may not be lies and exaggerations)

But seriously though, do you find imitation flattering or do you find it irritating and look at it as theft? Do you have a problem with imitating other people?

Edit: And imitating this thread wont be very funny, just in case any comedians out there get any ideas.

I had nothing from my mother to imitate which was good as a child. She wasn't bad, just kind of a not there kind of mother

As got older and aware..say in 20s and as I met others, whatever I saw in others which I liked, I took and became a part of me or me.

Doubt others were aware I did so but is how many of us learn.

 

[stan1980]

When the original Raiders of the Lost Ark came out, I got myself a fedora and a worn looking leather jacket. I started wearing Dickie work clothes. I still like that look. I raided the used clothing places looking for garish vintage ties. The wilder the better! My wife to be hated my pariot necktie. However, I found that even though women say that hate them, they always seem to get turned on easier when a guy wears one.

Yep, the ladies must have been all over you!

My guess is that it makes them think a fellow is both somewhat clean-cut but has an underlying daring wild streak.

No doubt!

 

[stan1980]

I had nothing from my mother to imitate which was good as a child. She wasn't bad, just kind of a not there kind of mother

As got older and aware..say in 20s and as I met others, whatever I saw in others which I liked, I took and became a part of me or me.

Doubt others were aware I did so but is how many of us learn.

Probably quite true of me as well actually.

 

[Spherical Time]

Depends on what you're imitating. Are you consciously exaggerating their bad attributes? Probably not flattery.

General imitation? Possibly flattery.

Mimicking the best parts of you? Flattery.