Being Original Just Means Hiding Your Sources

One of the first blog posts I wrote about was how to steal like a breakdancer. In summary, if you take someone’s move, that’s called biting, or plagiarism. But if you add your own flavor, your own style to it, then that’s how to steal like a breakdancer. Breakdancing is an art form that has taken inspiration from martial arts, gymnastics, and more. Even hip hop records are produced via samples, where slices of other songs are used to create something new.

This same approach is relevant for any art form and it’s how I approach my writing. I’ll learn about a new technique or mental model, I’ll apply it to my own life, then it becomes my own wisdom.

April 22, 2023


Previous:Things I Enjoyed Recently (4/21/2023)
Next:26 Pieces of Advice