Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery... "Yeah" or "Nay"?

Every so often—maybe couple of days, my son will start copying me—everything I do. He used to do this to his sister, driving her crazy, but now he does it to me. It may be a joke, but I figure he’s trying me on for size—just to see what it’s like to be someone much older, who is also male.

He’s ten years old, and it’s kind of cute, but I also do feel a bit flattered. Like he’s seeing what it’s like to be me and he wants to be me. So that thought does go through my head: “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Of course, I don’t know what is going through his head, but yesterday, he called upstairs (on an intercom) to ask me if I would like him to bring something up for me to eat or drink. I believe he did this of his own volition (not at my wife’s suggestion). In any case, I’m amazed. He tried very hard, and I appreciate the effort.

So, I wonder, maybe he really does want to be like me? He is being so nice to me, when sometimes his older sister is more than a bit of a pain (she’s 14) these days. Whether true or not, I feel like the idea that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery is true. It comes from a genuine place, not a calculated place. It is really very sweet, even if, on the surface, it looks like he’s just being annoying.

YEAH! One of my favorite marketing tips is to steal industry ideas in other communities. I would be so flattered if I saw one of my ideas being used while visiting a different community. Why reinvent the wheel??

Yeah. Absolutely.

(Nay, Nay, Nay)

Yes.

If it’s made in China it’s forgery not flattery.

I am not sure about the sincerest form of flattery but it can be good for laughs. ;)

Depends on the intent. If it’s stalking no, or as worriedguy said, forgery. If it’s copying an idea, than yes.

Neigh? As in imitating a horse? No doubt he would be flattered.

I believe you meant nay.

I also don’t believe in imitating others. I try to forge my own road.

Not when they plaigerize your artwork.
I think it is pathetic.

It may be but it’s also a way to piss people off. I have a tendency to unconsciously adopt a friend’s phraseology if I hang out with them a lot and one friend got really annoyed with me for that.

I think it is, yes. : )

@lucillelucillelucille – I think you’re requiring “sincere” come with “nice.” I think it’s simply truthful – anyone plaigerizing your art has admitted that it’s good and has value. Whether or not they’re trying to screw you at the same time has little to do with the honesty of that complimentary assessment. ;-)

No.

The only time it is flattering, ( gratifying ) is when someone takes a bit of wisdom from you and has some sort of awakening.

For instance a good friend of mine telling me that she has learned , from me, to be more open and outgoing with others, take a chance of striking up a conversation with strangers.

Otherwise I see it as a red flag of someone who has a shakey sense of self and needs to ‘borrow’ bits & pieces of others to fill in their own missing pieces.

Ugh, neigh 100%!@ It drives me up a wall. I would much rather have someone be themselves.

Neigh?

Hey….I tend to pick up on the some of behaviors I admire in other people. I don’t take on their whole personality, but I certainly don’t mind incorporating admirable behavior into my own personality. Just as a guess, I’d say all of our personalities are jig saw puzzles of the traits of people who have influenced us in our life, with our own personal personality at the very base of it, and is the glue that holds all those pieces together.

It’s a form of flattery, sure, but I don’t know about sincerest.

There was a girl in high school who imitated everything I did. Got the same haircut, wore the same clothes and we weren’t especially friends either. When she started telling my personal stories as her own, I was not flattered.

I agree with @Blueroses. I had a coworker get all Single White Female on me and it was not cool. It depends on the situation and who’s doing the imitating.

Well its definitely the most annoying form ill tell ya that much.

Cannot hold my tongue this time.

The opposite of “nay” (no) is “yea” (yes), pronounced to rhyme with “day.”

As for the question, that’s just a saying, and like other such sayings it is true some of the time. It is not a wholly reliable statement of universal truth.

Yup

Cannot hold my tongue this time.

The opposite of “nay” (no) is “yea” (yes), pronounced to rhyme with “day.”

As for the question, that’s just a saying, and like other such sayings it is true some of the time. It is not a wholly reliable statement of universal truth.

@filmfann

Yes, I noticed that too.

‘Neigh’ is for my ‘neigh’-bors, the horses. lol

shield my eyes from this double vision….

Nay, sincere flattery is the sincerest form of flattery.

Is there an echo in here?

@Jeruba If you mean “nay” actually the fourth answer, which was written by @gailcalled mentioned the mistake.

at least @filmfann‘s flattery is sincere

No, @JLeslie, I was referring to @filmfann‘s exact copy of my post concerning the spelling of “yea.” I think @Blueroses has divined its intent.

No. Could be quite the opposite.

@iamthemob -True.It may be flattery,but it is still stealing.
I would love to “flatter” the person who designed the $100 bill,by printing my own but… ;)
@Coloma—Yes!

@lucillelucillelucille How close did they come to reproducing your piece?

@Adirondackwannabe Well,they have tried but were unable to reproduce exactly.This has happened more times than I can count with different people.

@lucillelucillelucille That sucks. But at least you know your work is greatly appreciated.

@Adirondackwannabe I’d rather have cash than an opinion ;)

@lucillelucillelucille GA

Depends on how it’s used. On another site a member stole my avatar and a modified version of my user name and was using it to insult other people horribly.