Acknowledgement is a sincere indicator you're not shady- Sabrina, The Golden Brain entrepreneur.
I always find it interesting when people choose not to acknowledge who they have been inspired by or their source. If someone is doing something directly impacting how you create, change your approach or, more directly you have lifted their ideas or content, I think at some point, the person should be acknowledged. I operate on the principle of giving honour where honour is due.
I see this behaviour most when the reference is a Black woman. There is this barrier for some people to acknowledge that a Black woman is their source, inspiration, the blueprint for their content. It is especially tragic when Black women do it to each other.
To be clear, what I observe crosses race, ethnicity and gender. Its an insidious culture.
This issue is one of the several reasons I love what Sheryl Lee Ralph models with Quinta Brunson in Abbot Elementary. Sheryl is one of the original Dream Girls, a veteran. Quinta is her boss and her 'junior'. Sheryl, with every single opportunity, acknowledges what Quinta has done; no condescension, no ageism, passive or microaggressions, no ego or selective ommission, just acknowledgement.
Can the same be said for you?