---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think imitation is always the greatest…"
description: "\"I think imitation is always the greatest form of flattery.\" — Simon de Pury"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/simon-de-pury-30026_flattery_i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest_2281897.jpg"
---

#  I think imitation is always the greatest form of flattery.

![“I think imitation is always the greatest form of flattery.” quote by Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/simon-de-pury-30026_flattery_i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest_2281897.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/simon-de-pury-30026_flattery_i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest_2281897.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/simon-de-pury-30026_flattery_i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest_2281897.jpg)

> “I think imitation is always the greatest form of flattery.”

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Imitation is seen as the highest compliment, reflecting admiration and respect for the original work.

**In simple terms:** Imitation shows deep respect.

Key Takeaway

Value originality, but recognize flattery.

Themes

respect compliment creativity

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- art criticism
- marketing
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

social dynamics psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- When does flattery become exploitation?
- How to balance admiration with originality?

A Different Perspective

Imitation can stifle innovation if overused.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Form Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-flattery-548015/) [Form Of Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form-of-flattery/) [Greatest Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-form-2276660/) [Imitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitation/) [Imitation Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imitation-greatest-2378761/) [Think Imitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-imitation-2059365/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, Punk, don't flatter me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-ro/if-imitation-is-the-greatest-form-of-flattery-punk-don-t-flatter-me/)

[J-Ro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-ro/)

> [I dont think imitation is the highest form of flattery, I think its annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/i-dont-think-imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery-i-think-its/)

[Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/)

> [I don't think imitation is the highest form of flattery, I think it's annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink/i-don-t-think-imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery-i-think-it-s/)

[Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink/)

> [Immitation is the sincerest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/immitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [Implementation is the sincerest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-peter-deutsch/implementation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/)

[L Peter Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-peter-deutsch/)

> [Anytime anybody asks you to do anything that is celebrating you or highlighting your life, just the fact that they cared enough about me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-bell-calloway/anytime-anybody-asks-you-to-do-anything-that-is-celebrating-you-or/)

[Vanessa Bell Calloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-bell-calloway/)

> [Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/imitation-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [“And anyway, as they will say in the distant future, “Replication is the sincerest form of flattery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/and-anyway-as-they-will-say-in-the-distant-future-replication-is-the/)

[George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/)

> [“Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Until it isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/em-bailey/imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery-until-it-isn-t/)

[Em Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/em-bailey/)

> [Immigration is the sincerest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-paar/immigration-is-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery/)

[Jack Paar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-paar/)

> [The most sincere form of flattery is money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cantrell/the-most-sincere-form-of-flattery-is-money/)

[Jim Cantrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cantrell/)

> [Imitation is the highest form of flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/imitation-is-the-highest-form-of-flattery/)

[Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/)

> [Imitation is the most serious form of flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/imitation-is-the-most-serious-form-of-flattery/)

[Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/)

> [“imitation really is the most sincere form of flattery. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/imitation-really-is-the-most-sincere-form-of-flattery-but/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The best form of flattery is to master the art of listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-best-form-of-flattery-is-to-master-the-art-of-listening/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

## More by Simon de Pury

> [Critics are always complaining about the materialism of hip-hop and accusing the artists of living way above their means. But this ostentatious sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/critics-are-always-complaining-about-the-materialism-of-hip-hop-and/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [What I admire about Snoop Dogg is his longevity. I mean, he's been around for a long time and I think he's as good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/what-i-admire-about-snoop-dogg-is-his-longevity-i-mean-he-s-been/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [Provenance is something very important in jewelry. You want to know who has worn a piece of jewelry and who it has belonged to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/provenance-is-something-very-important-in-jewelry-you-want-to-know/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [There has always been a correlation between money and art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/there-has-always-been-a-correlation-between-money-and-art/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [My alter ego does not look in too great a mood today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/my-alter-ego-does-not-look-in-too-great-a-mood-today/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [I fell into hip-hop right from the beginning. I was a teenager in the '60s, so I was putting all my pocket money into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/i-fell-into-hip-hop-right-from-the-beginning-i-was-a-teenager-in-the/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [In the early '80s, I was blown away when I began to hear some of the earliest hip-hop songs, and I'm fascinated by all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/in-the-early-80s-i-was-blown-away-when-i-began-to-hear-some-of-the/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [I think that creative people, wherever they are, in any field, take inspiration wherever they can find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/i-think-that-creative-people-wherever-they-are-in-any-field-take/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [In a way, there's nothing more intimate than a piece of jewelry. A painting is hung on somebody's wall. You put a piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/in-a-way-there-s-nothing-more-intimate-than-a-piece-of-jewelry-a/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [All-around 21st-century artist the great Kanye West at Design Miami/ Basel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/all-around-21st-century-artist-the-great-kanye-west-at-design-miami/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [I think it's a tribute to the artistic importance of hip-hop culture and what hip-hop has brought into music and fashion and jewelry that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/i-think-it-s-a-tribute-to-the-artistic-importance-of-hip-hop-culture/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [In general, you have great artists who have died far too early and who have left great cultural impact. If you look at people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/in-general-you-have-great-artists-who-have-died-far-too-early-and-who/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [What I feel with the best of hip-hop music and with the best of what has been produced by hip-hop culture is that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/what-i-feel-with-the-best-of-hip-hop-music-and-with-the-best-of-what/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [While we do not need art to live, I couldn't imagine a life without it,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/while-we-do-not-need-art-to-live-i-couldn-t-imagine-a-life-without-it/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

> [If you speak to young kids anywhere in the world, hip-hop is the music that they like to listen to more than any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/if-you-speak-to-young-kids-anywhere-in-the-world-hip-hop-is-the-music/)

[Simon de Pury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

[Explore all 17 Simon de Pury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/)

## More Flattery quotes

> [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/)

[Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/)

> [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [By God, I cannot flatter, I do defy The tongues of soothers! but a braver place In my heart's love hath no man than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/by-god-i-cannot-flatter-i-do-defy-the-tongues-of-soothers-but-a/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I'm not drunk, I'm just intoxicated by you. I was so enchanted by your beauty that I ran into that wall over there. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paperboi/i-m-not-drunk-i-m-just-intoxicated-by-you-i-was-so-enchanted-by-your/)

[Paperboi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paperboi/)

> [The most skillful flattery is to let a person talk on, and be a listener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-most-skillful-flattery-is-to-let-a-person-talk-on-and-be-a/)

[Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/)

> [Love of another is merely empty flattery and self-deception for one who cannot accept himself without pretense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/love-of-another-is-merely-empty-flattery-and-self-deception-for-one/)

[L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/)

> [I have a car that I call Flattery because it gets me nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-have-a-car-that-i-call-flattery-because-it-gets-me-nowhere/)

[Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/)

> [Dont get confused between flattery and kindness these are the new kind of deceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chops/dont-get-confused-between-flattery-and-kindness-these-are-the-new/)

[Chops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chops/)

> [It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. But it is equally unquestionable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-an-unquestionable-truth-that-the-body-of-the-people-in-every/)

[Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/)

> [Truth and ceremony are two things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/truth-and-ceremony-are-two-things/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [The best form of flattery is to master the art of listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-best-form-of-flattery-is-to-master-the-art-of-listening/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [“You are the belle of the ball tonight.” He said as he moved in closer. “How can you be so sinfully beautiful Mrs. Norman?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gray/you-are-the-belle-of-the-ball-tonight-he-said-as-he-moved-in-closer/)

[Barry Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gray/)

> [He who says he hates all kinds of flattery, and says so in earnest, has undoubtedly not as yet become acquainted with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/he-who-says-he-hates-all-kinds-of-flattery-and-says-so-in-earnest-has/)

[Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/)

> [What signifies protesting so against flattery when a person speaks well of one, it must either be true or false, you know if true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-signifies-protesting-so-against-flattery-when-a-person-speaks/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

> [But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for a wolf resembles a dog, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/but-it-is-hard-to-know-them-from-friends-they-are-so-obsequious-and/)

[Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/)

[Browse all 636 Flattery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think imitation is always the greatest form of flattery.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Simon de Pury"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest-form-of-flattery/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Flattery"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest-form-of-flattery/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/simon-de-pury-30026_flattery_i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest_2281897.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/simon-de-pury-30026_flattery_i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest_2281897.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11f/simon-de-pury-30026_flattery_i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest_2281897.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think imitation is always the greatest form of flattery.” — Simon de Pury",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Simon de Pury",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-de-pury/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think imitation is always the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest-form-of-flattery/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-de-pury/i-think-imitation-is-always-the-greatest-form-of-flattery/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
