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Bert Webb posts an interesting tidbit about “being like those you associate with”. I do admit, I am not exactly sure how serious he takes the issue - his last paragraph

By the way, in my teens, I had hair to my shoulders. Presently, I dance, watch movies, love rock music, and have been well over 100 MPH in my car.

kind of makes me wonder about his sense of humor, but nevertheless I do not agree with him. at all.

Basically his statement sounds like this:

By clearly unscientific observation, the ubiquitous advice of associating with those who exhibit the qualities that you would like to possess for the purpose of assimilating those qualities does seem valid. Successful people often associate with successful people. One often hears famous actors mention some of their early roommates — who have also become famous actors. This is not to say that there is a causal relationship between success and personal associations. It may simply be a correlation. But in any case, it is a phenomenon available for use.

Now what do I have to say about this? I would like to add some other observations:

1. Like and Like…
2. Opposites Attract.
3. There are a bunch of wanna-be-s associating - thereby thinning the overall achievment density.
4. Diversity rules it all. Especially in Bert’s teaching example. I tell you: do mix different levels of achievement, make an effort to pull up those who are behind, while at the same time challenging those who are ahead to learn new skills (like team work, social skills, or even just questioning their own convictions).
5. Teach everyone to distrust everything, to question everything.
6. Groups of like people are the death of individuality - and without individuals there is no will for change.
7. …

I am not really in the mood to write a paper here or even come close to writing full theses plus rationale. But I am really sure that to be successful you need things that pull you as well as things that push you. You need to have a sense for both black and white as well as all shades of grey. By associating with homogeneous groups you lose touch with diversity, creativity and maybe even the floor.

If you need to be in the proximity of groups of like people do so because you want to analyze them and maybe have fun with them. But do not base your identity on them.

In the end it all depends on what you want to achieve. As always.

PS: In dancing argentine tango it does make a difference with who you associate with - ladies: always watch who you decide to dance with - you may drive one kind away just by dancing with another kind. More on that if you like later - leave a comment.