Reddit vs NaNo Forums

A part of a writing reddit that I enjoy commenting and discussing on had an interesting question the other day. It's fun because the writers in this group are so young and inexperienced. The NaNo forum has experienced and serious writers. Reddit has youth and inexperience. 

One of the redditors asked if it's okay to steal ideas from other novels or authors. 

It's an intriguing question, and like I said, since it comes from Reddit it's not surprising. You'd never see this question in the NaNo forums. 

The answer is simple, . . . no. The answer is also complex, . . . it depends on what you mean by "steal."

As I read this latest Archy McNally I see so many tie-ins to any Nero Wolff novel (see HERE). The "detectives" in both series are similar, even down to their names. It's obvious that Lawrence Sanders "stole" some of these ideas, but he also made them his own. To what degree is that stealing?

Personally, I'd feel quite flattered if someone took my idea for Vapor Trail and made it their own, maybe put their own twist on it. It happens. It's better to be completely original, but how about taking a good idea and making it more, or making it your own. 

So much of writing is "stealing." The themes are all the same, just retold. Stephen King even talked about this. . . . The Shining is "stealing" a story about a haunted house. Christine is stealing a story about possession. etc etc. Romeo and Juliet's is about star crossed lovers. If I writes something similar is that stealing? 

Silly ole redditors.