Really, it was more like "here are ten great photographers, but you suck so don't even bother trying to be like them". He had nothing bad to say about any of them, just that they knew what the were doing, and the rest of us have just been busy copying what they do. Which is pretty true in many cases. But rarely is anything truly new or innovative. I just shoot because i enjoy it! But ignoring good potographers certainly won't make you any better. All of those photographers had influences, as well.