Definitions HQ

Imitation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠indispensable to growing up — beneficial until it becomes a mere convenience that spares one finding one's own way.

Imitation (n.) used ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to stand out by aping some eminent personality only tightens one's compulsive bondage to the environment — the imitator ends a few degrees more sterile.

Imitation (n.) usually ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠yields nothing but an artificial stultification of Western intelligence when the practices imitated are Indian.

Imitation (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠leaves a man unchanged makes him a mere artifact; the point is to realize the ideal on one's own account in one's own life.

Imitation (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a tragic, sterile misunderstanding when Westerners copy Eastern practice, a way of evading one's own duties; the task is to build up Western civilization on the spot, with all one's ordinariness and neuroses.

Imitation (n.) a ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠right attitude with Western will and intellect may seem to succeed, but it is unstable and will be overthrown by the unconscious; a safe foundation needs equal respect for the instinctive premises of the unconscious.

Imitation (n.) reactivates ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠one's own values, so many people reach self-reliance only after long copying a chosen model; cut off imitation and they fall into helpless anxiety, but an analyst cannot prescribe it.