Importance of Citing your Sources

Why is it so important to cite your sources? I believe that it is important to cite sources becasuse to me it like stealing ideas from someone and using it as your own without giving credit to the orginal source. I know that if I where the person who ideas where stole by someone who never used my name as the primary source I would be upset and maybe if take some sort of legal action. When using someone ideas or words it is a must citing or it is consider plagiarism. Plagiarism is taking very serously and can come with very serious consquences. I just believe that if you use another person ideas in lets say an essay the soure that you gather the imfortmation from should be listed on the essay reference page.