Imitation

As babies, we imitate our parents. We learn our first words by imitating what we hear, before we really have any understanding of what they mean.

As children, we continue this habit. We want to play the same games as our friends, go to the same places and watch the same films.

As adults, we subconsciously continue this habit. We always judge things by whether they are socially acceptable and how well they reflect the norm.

We live in a society in which imitation is a part of life. It is something we do all of our lives and is natural.

Throughout history, we have seen time and time again that only those who imitate the norm and adhere to the social expectations are accepted by society. We tend to fear those that do not and outcast them.

However, the problem is that if we just imitate each other, how will we progress? Who will be innovative and imaginative and create new alternatives?

The greatest innovators have been those that have not been accepted by society. Unfortunately, this is the price one often has to pay to be original.

Alain de Botten is a philosopher who lives and writes today. Recently, Alain began to lose his hair. Alain realised that many people his age do not have a simialr problem and so made a decision. He decided that he was no longer like his peers and so no longer wanted to dress like them. He bought the same jumper, trouser and shirt in multiple quantities and decided that he would wear this all the time. Whereas many of his peers dress in Ted Baker shirts and are fashionable, Alain has decided that he no longer can imitate them and has decided to follow his own path in stead of imitating others who adhere to the social norm.