I would argue this is an unduly negative take on following the work of other developers. Following the work of one of your peers in your field does not have to become a cult of personality. It can help you discover what kind of open source work or intellectual direction is actually useful, especially at the beginning of your career. It's totally reasonable to not follow other developers but I also wouldn't want to cultivate the perception that following the work of others is a failure to be busy enough on your own.