--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Stealing ideas from contemporaries is…" description: "\"Stealing ideas from contemporaries is rude and tasteless. Stealing from the long dead is considered literary and admirable. The same is true of grave-r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/n-d-wilson-2571_admirable_stealing-ideas-from-contemporaries-is-ru_566829.png" --- # Stealing ideas from contemporaries is rude and tasteless… ![“Stealing ideas from contemporaries is rude and tasteless. Stealing from the long dead is considered literary and admirable. The same is true of grave-robbing. Loot your local cemetery and find yourself mired in social awkwardness. But unearth the tomb of an ancient king and you can feel free to…” quote by N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/n-d-wilson-2571_admirable_stealing-ideas-from-contemporaries-is-ru_566829.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/n-d-wilson-2571_admirable_stealing-ideas-from-contemporaries-is-ru_566829.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f80/n-d-wilson-2571_admirable_stealing-ideas-from-contemporaries-is-ru_566829.png) > “Stealing ideas from contemporaries is rude and tasteless. Stealing from the long dead is considered literary and admirable. The same is true of grave-robbing. Loot your local cemetery and find yourself mired in social awkwardness. But unearth the tomb of an ancient king and you can feel free to pop off his toe rings. You'll probably end up on a book tour, or bagging an honorary degree or two.” [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It contrasts the acceptability of borrowing from the dead versus the living, suggesting that appropriating ancient ideas is praised while copying peers is condemned. **In simple terms:** Borrowing from the dead is praised; from peers is rude. Key Takeaway Respect originality in peers, study past works. Themes originality ethics culture creativity Mood reflective critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - creative writing - artistic inspiration - public speaking Key Concepts intellectual property cultural appropriation historical reverence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance inspiration and plagiarism? - When is homage versus theft? A Different Perspective Modern collaboration often blurs lines of ownership, making strict distinctions hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Awkwardness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awkwardness/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Cemetery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cemetery/) [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Rude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rude/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social awkwardness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-awkwardness/) ## Related quotes > [They're stealing my ideas. They're imitating my shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-selznick/they-re-stealing-my-ideas-they-re-imitating-my-shots/) [David O. Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-selznick/) > [“Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats.” —Howard Aiken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-worry-about-people-stealing-your-ideas-if-your-ideas-are-any-2/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“many of the people who we think of as lone geniuses were actually part of “a whole scene of people who were supporting each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/many-of-the-people-who-we-think-of-as-lone-geniuses-were-actually/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-aiken/don-t-worry-about-people-stealing-your-ideas-if-your-ideas-are-any/) [Howard Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-aiken/) > [Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-aiken/don-t-worry-about-people-stealing-your-ideas/) [Howard Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-aiken/) > [“Pretty much if your last name is Frankenstein, your'''e going to get into reanimating things, which of course accounts for the reason that we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minda-webber/pretty-much-if-your-last-name-is-frankenstein-your-e-going-to-get/) Minda Webber > [“Desiree the child bride, and her sister Miranda, had gone grave-robbing for a wedding gown. 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