Imitation Is
… the sincerest form of flattery?
NO.
Imitation is the lack of originality!
- Would you rather own a classical piece of art or a print of it?
- Would you rather introduce a successful new product to market or make a knock-off later?
- Would you rather have attended a Beatles concert or watch a tribute band?
- Would you rather eat a home-cooked meal or mass-produced fast food?
- Would you rather be yourself or be forced to act like someone else?
It should be evident that the true value is in the former, not the latter. Obviously, that new product might not be perfect, but it had certain unique merits that made it successful in the first place… and the imitators, while having some value, certainly aren’t AS valuable as the original product. Continuing with this example, the way most imitators survive in the marketplace is by selling a lower cost, lower quality product… just a “watered down” version of the “real” product.
For most of its history, the U.S. has been the model that other countries have imitated. This is still quite common today, despite what you hear of the low opinion foreigners currently hold about our country. They continue to embrace many things that are distinctly “American”. Even China, the largest last bastion of communism, is enjoying great success adopting aspects of our “free enterprise” system (which, if anything, could eventually lead to a radical change in their form of government).
Admittedly, the U.S. is not perfect… but no country (or society) is. Our country has had, and still has, some problems… but we have a history of continually dealing with those problems in a way that has been distinctly American. We generally look within ourselves to find the right answers. While “progress” has been slow in some areas, it has been astoundingly FAST when compared to that of other countries.
Why, then, do so many citizens of OUR country want to destroy many parts of our unique way of life, including government, and replace them with practices “borrowed” from other countries? It is quite common to hear calls to:
- Institute a health-care system like that existing in another country
- Adopt labor legislation modeled after another nation’s
- Expand social programs to include benefits enjoyed elsewhere
- Compare any of our domestic laws to those of other countries
- Implement regulations to tightly restrict business activities as some other countries do
Aside from the “imitation factor”, which is questionable enough, the sad thing is many of the examples used by such advocates reference countries that are not as successful as ours… or that would collapse if the nation were as large as the U.S. … or are societies where individual freedom is not one of their primary rights.
Although I don’t have any statistics to cite, I believe the people pushing these concepts are in the vast MINORITY… but are quite persistent, speak with a large voice, and have attained certain positions of authority within our system of government (not just elected officials… it includes the huge bureaucracy).
I am convinced the most formidable enemy our country is not from without, it is from within. If WE, the so-called Silent Majority, aren’t diligent, we will soon wake up to find ourselves living in a country much different than the one we were born in. We should not be as concerned about a violent uprising taking over our government as a stealthy, creeping wave of incremental change that will eventually drown us.
