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The second-hand artist blindly following his sensei or sifu accepts his pattern. As a result, his action is and , more importantly, his thinking become mechanical. His responses become automatic, according to set patterns, making him narrow and limited.
Bruce Lee
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the importance of originality and critical thinking in creativity versus blindly following established patterns.

Bruce Lee illustrates the danger of artists and practitioners who merely replicate the methods or styles of their teachers without engaging their own creative thought processes. By becoming overly reliant on these patterns, one risks stagnating in their art, leading to mechanical responses and a limited outlook that stifles innovation and personal expression.

Themes

OriginalityCreativityMechanicalThinkingArtExpression

In practice

Example use cases

A motivational speech about the importance of individual creativity in artistic endeavors.

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Because one does not want to be disturbed, to be made uncertain, he establishes a pattern of conduct, of thought, a pattern of relationships to man. He then becomes a slave to the pattern and takes the pattern to be the real thing.
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