The idea of imitation #2
From Lyn Slater’s post on substack:
Traveling at 120 MPH through life and social media left me no time to reflect or think critically about what I was doing. Writing on my blog, which was why I started it in the first place, became sporadic and littered with sponsored posts. Rather than being known as a creative older woman who reinvented herself into a completely new career, I became known as a social media influencer, the kind that influences you to buy; no longer the kind that inspires a cultural shift.
In 2008, Erika Mitchell watched Twilight—remember that movie with brooding vampires and unruly werewolves? Enamoured by the film, she read the novels it was based on multiple times. Then, she hit on a brilliant idea: Why not try her hand at writing a sequel to the ‘Twilight’ saga? Well, Erika managed to write two books within a span of eight months. Bolstered by that confidence, she set out in August of 2009 to write the ‘Fifty Shades’ books. Fascinatingly enough, those books became hits, and her work, just like her inspiration, Twilight, was adapted for the screen. There were a few things I noticed about Erika's journey. First, oftentimes when ideas like that hit people, they either quickly dismiss them or shelve them for a future time. Second, what was so compelling about the novels that made her feel she had to create something equivalent? I am so tempted to call it the creative instinct. Third, no matter what you think, things or ideas not only possess you; they can animate you towards action — almost against your will. Fourth, put your work out there. You can't predict the ripple effects. You can also never know who you’ll inspire or what other beautiful things another person might birth just because yours exists in the world. Ideas are fleeting things; if you don’t act on them as they come, you risk losing them. For instance, it frustrates me when I have an idea for a blog post and decide not to write it down, thinking I'll remember it later, only to forget it eventually. One's lifelong goal should be to significantly reduce the time between when an idea hits you and when you execute it. This can be challenging because you often need the resources and organizational skills to bring some ideas to life. In Erika's case, it was her ability to choose the project and stay committed, even when it probably didn’t make any sense to her friends or family. But then again, there are numerous instances where actions that initially seemed nonsensical ultimately brought both joy and financial gain to those who pursued them. 🍎
I am just as guilty as anyone else at putting off doing the things that matter to me. But this habit proves disastrous over time, as accumulated regrets lead to dissatisfaction with life. Procrastination is sweeter than sex because it allows you to push off tasks or projects into a future where you assume you'll have more time, space, energy, or the wherewithal to deal with them. However, that is rarely the case in reality. There might never be a ‘better’ time or place. That aside, the creative instinct is in everyone. Don’t listen to people who make daft statements like, “You either have it or you don’t.” A lot of things can be learned or nurtured. The creative instinct is what you feel when you see, read, or listen to something and say to yourself, ‘I should probably try my hand at that,’ by either copying or building upon it. When you feel that impulse, you can either act on it or refuse to do so. You more often than not find your voice through imitation. People underrate the role of imitation, but you can’t get to ‘original’ without going through imitation avenue. Many budding musicians begin their journey by covering existing songs before venturing into creating their own original pieces. Similarly, art students often learn by replicating the works of the masters. Imitation arises when you find a process or goal desirable. Motivated by its appeal, you either adopt the same methods as those you're imitating or develop your own strategies to achieve that goal. The key is that the desirability of the goal drives you to pursue it. In essence, you can replicate the methods used to attain a goal, not just the goal itself. Let me use Kim Kardashian's journey as an example we can relate to. This woman has managed to build an incredible media and fashion empire for herself. She's been on the covers of all the top magazines, rubbing elbows with leaders in politics and business. She has amassed a personal fortune in the billions of dollars. 🍓
When many people see an outcome like that, they are tempted to try to replicate her level of achievement for themselves. That’s the outcome, but there were specific processes by which she achieved it. Replicating her means won’t bring you the same results. If, for instance, you were to release your own sex tape today, there would be little to no guarantee that you could capture or even sustain people's attention long enough to monetize it. So, if you want to have influence—let's say on a global scale, similar to what Kim Kardashian represents in the hearts of many—then you need to figure out which part of her process you wish to copy. The maladaptive approach would be to copy people indiscriminately. Since we imitate whether we like it or not, isn’t it better if we give more thought to the goals, qualities, or people we want to emulate? If you see a goal or outcome you like, break it down into subgoals and figure out who in your circle, community, history, or the world has achieved that using means that are appropriate for you. Personally, I am committed to using only those means that allow me to look at myself in the mirror each morning without feeling any sense of repulsion for what I've become. It’s not silly to say that all of advertising is just an attempt to induce envy and consequently generate the need to imitate. Companies enlist celebrities to use or endorse their products, knowing that those people will attempt to emulate these celebrities, hoping to capture a sense of their glamour and success, if only for a moment. But I’d like to remind consumers: Just because you look like Adele doesn't mean you possess her singing skills, in the same way that having poor handwriting doesn't automatically qualify you as a doctor. Therefore, that skincare product you see your favorite celebrity endorsing won’t necessarily make you glow like them. I bet they don’t even use those products. They have a team of mirage producers around them, from makeup artists and stylists to photographers, that make them look like they are not of this world.🍒
But then again, I am not saying something that you don’t already know. Oftentimes, people say, ‘Don’t meet your heroes because they’ll disappoint you.’ Of course, they will disappoint you; that's why it's important to identify which of their qualities you admire and consider adopting some of those, while also being fully aware that they might possess some reprehensible qualities that could eventually come to light. I am creating a composite of attributes these days. I'll pick some good qualities from one individual and another set from someone else to create a blend of traits I find appealing, regardless of the person. 🍇
Thanks for reading. If there's anything you'd like to chat about, or if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email. I'd love to hear from you. :) 🍿