Yes, for newbies it is a little difficult to cope up with the markets first. So every beginner should make it a point to start live only after he has gained sufficient knowledge and practices well in a demo account.
If he has the required knowledge, he can then make good trading decisions.
Learning should be the first step of anyone who's trying to get into forex. Not all beginners take this step seriously, which is why they have to pay for it later. I think learning is a process that goes on till the end; even experienced traders have to learn side by side.
Following other's blindly is going to bring no success in forex, that's for sure. Yes learning from others is okay, but simply copying them blindly is of no use.