Imitation refers to an advanced form of human behaviour whereby human beings observe others and replicate them. This is the positive imitation. Imitation is deemed as foolhardy when it refers to copying others blindly, so as to pick up their sense of dressing, walk or talk. If you imitate those whom you can’t even think of imitating, then it will simply lead to a comedy of errors. In the words of Samuel Johnson, “Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those who we cannot resemble.”
Imitation can also be referred to a piece of art of craft that has been picked up or lifted from somewhere else, without making any modifications. Imitation stuff is never considered valuable because it is an unauthentic version of some genuine stuff. According to George Henry Lewes, “All bad Literature rests upon imperfect insight, or upon imitation, which may be defined as seeing at second-hand.”