You know what really grinds my gears?

You know what really grinds my gears? People who constantly use other peoples' ideas to project what they think their personality, interests, and thoughts are or should be. I know that everyone has idols they are inspired by, and that everyone, regardless, borrows ideas from somewhere or another. But the fact that some people just constantly barrage you with works and ideas that are not their own to "express themselves" is irritating. I like people with diverse interests and knowledgeable backgrounds about this and that, but if when it comes down to it they have no real thought processes of their own, it is frustrating and disheartening.

I remember reading in Invisible Monsters the quote "I am the combined effort of everyone I have ever known." I instantly liked this idea because I thought it true: it is. Work to change that. Throw your own effort into that mix, and make it the dominant force. Take things that you admire or believe and challenge them, draw your own conjectures, and change them as you see fit. Never stick to what is safe. Be able to apply your beliefs and knowledge in different contexts. Perpetuate a cycle of being inspired, inspiring others and inspiring yourself.