We try to imitate everything we are a product of our plus the other's thoughts and actions. We copy almost everything from habits to the dialogues from a movie. We try to copy the accent as well as the actions of our parents since we were kids. So how we develop this idea of copying others or even thinking like others from their point of view. We try to become like others that's why we have role models. We want to become like them so we try to replicate their behaviours and habits so that we would become like our role models.
Everyone is an artist
Austin Kleon in his book 'Steal like an artist' says that "An artist gets an idea by stealing it. Nothing is original. Creative works build on what came before. Every idea is a mashup of the previous ideas". So every artist steals the artwork from the previous work and then gives it a twist to own it. That's how we create our masterpiece by replicating a base idea and building our stuff over it. Even a baby tries to copy the way you talk or spell the words that's how we actually learn. So everyone is an artist because we copy the stuff we see and then we give it our own touch. You are born to your father and mother. You are a remix of your mom and dad and all of your ancestors. Just like that, we have an ideology of ideas you can choose anything you like, from anyone your teachers, friend circle, or even the people you look upon. You are the mashup of the influences we have on your life.
From where do we copy We copy from three groups the one we are the most near to mainly our family and friends the second group is the one in bigger number or most of the majority and the third group is the ones having the most power or the famous ones. So let's get to the first group. Our family and friends are the ones we are mostly surrounded by and we spend most of our time with them so we share our food, our experiences, and our thoughts. When these three things happen they create an influence on you and you try to copy their habits and also the way they approach the problems. Now let's come to the second group the majority one. In the 1950s Asch Solomon conducted a series of experiments. He carried out the experiment with the subjects and some strangers which were actually actors planted by the researchers. The group was shown a card with a line on it and then they were given a second card which had 3 lines drawn on it and they asked the subjects which line in card 2 matched the line in card 1. At the start, the subjects were answering correctly including the actors who were placed in the group but after some easy trials, the actors started answering it wrongly on purpose as they were told to do so by the researchers and then the actual subjects started configuring the answers wrongly under the influence of the actors. They started doubting their own eyes and answered the comparison questions wrongly under the peer pressure of the actors. This is what Asch called the social conformity experiment.
The figure above shows that the reference line in the first card is similar to the 'line C' in the second card. But the subjects answered it wrongly under the social influence of the majority wrong answers. As the number of actors was increased and the subjects were less there was more probability of wrong answers. This shows how people in greater numbers can change our mindset. The human mind knows how to get along with a group. The reward of being accepted than the reward of winning an argument, looking smart, or finding the truth. When the change in your habits is challenging the tribe the change is unattractive when a change in your habits is fitting inside the tribe then the change is attractive. Now coming to the third group, the group of most powerful or famous people. This group gives you the feeling to achieve the most in your field. You always look at these people as your role models. If someone asks you who do you wanna be you might answer I want to be like that person or you might even select a particular field. The people having the most fame and power attract us the most we try to configure their every move. We create an image of us being just like them. But we don't see the struggle and the hardships faced by these people just to reach the top of their game. Morgan Housel says that- Instead of depending on a person for a decision depend on the whole system or a greater network. Famous people also make a lot of mistakes and also they make decisions that make them hit rock bottom. It's good to have someone as your role model as you get an idea about how you want to become but filter out the bad habits and the wrong decisions made by them as you don't need to copy everything.
Always have your opinion about the imitation. Sometimes it might not even suit you. If you feel like it keep finding things to replicate. You are never original you are just the replica of the things which surround you.
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