I totally get what you mean. Still on some level I think escaping influence is impossible. Even the golden rule, and having a strong sense of justice are still ideals built upon societal and personal goals. Our strength stems from bouncing ideas between each other, creating something that didn't come from either, but is the result of our influence on each other. In that sense we are free thinkers and if you remove yourself from the equation than you are simply copying. Copying redundantly will cheapen the original goal and point of the idea, I think there you are onto something. But I think you are using the wrong word, influence. I think copycat, or decadence would be appropriate.