Archive of posts with tag 'Imitation'
Copy First, Create Later →
February 21, 2025 • #As I watch my kids learn, it sits with me how much we learn by copying. Imitation isn’t the enemy of originality — it’s the foundation of it. We learn by copying, refine through practice, and ultimately create something uniquely ours. My latest post on Res Extensa:
In our rush to be original, we often dismiss copying as somehow lesser than “true” learning. But mimicry isn’t just a shortcut — it’s fundamental to how we master skills. We see it in my daughter’s creative reproductions, in my son’s workbench discoveries, and in every artist who’s traced the footsteps of masters before them.
The path to originality paradoxically begins with imitation. First, we copy to build competence. Then we understand. Finally, we create.