Great story, and great insight: what we have read, what we have seen (movies, TV), what conversations we have, all feed our imaginations. We may not consciously remember every influence, but all our endeavors (art, music, literature) reflect the early imprinting of others.
YES: read more books, watch more movies, have more conversations. They enrich us in ways we may not ever realize.
That's why, when something strikes me as being original, I am very impressed.