People with similar interests, backgrounds, or characteristics tend to associate with one another. Like-minded individuals naturally gravitate toward each other.
This phrase originates from the 16th century, based on the observable behavior of birds that travel in species-specific flocks. The metaphorical use was first recorded in English around 1545, drawing from the natural world to describe human social patterns.
This saying captures one of the most fundamental principles of social psychology centuries before the field existed. What's fascinating is that while it's often used neutrally, it can carry both positive connotations (finding your tribe) and negative ones (echo chambers and exclusion).
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