Do birds of a feather really flock together?

The saying “Birds of a feather flock together” has been around for quite a long time. It means that people date others who are similar to each other. That sounds great in theory but what about all those couples who seem completely different from each other? What about the computer geek dating the head cheerleader? I know, I know that almost never happens but on occasion it does. So does that disprove the saying?…Well not exactly.

Even though couples may seem very different from each other what really matters is how their personal traits match up. These are things like attitudes and values. In our example of the computer geek and the head cheerleader there would clearly be some differences between the two. The cheerleader would be very outgoing and talkative while the computer geek would be more quiet and reserved. At first glance it would seem that they would never be a good couple. Now let’s add something to the mix. Let’s say that they both have a passion for helping others. They volunteer at a local food bank, start talking, and realize they aren’t as different as they seem.

I guess the real question here is why do we fall for people who have similar personal traits as we do?

• First of all it validates what we believe. People who believe the same things reinforce our own beliefs. This is based off the idea that it’s easier to believe what every else does but difficult to be the only one to stand up for something. It makes us feel more secure with ourselves.

• Secondly, it’s easier to understand people who are similar to us. If one person is talking about how much they love YouTube and the other person has no idea what the internet is then it would create a bit of a problem. The whole conversation would stop and they would need to explain everything from square one.

• Finally similar personality traits make it easier to interact with people. If one is a morning person and the other a night person they might find it very difficult to find time to interact with each other.

So when you’re trying to decide if this person might be good to date, take your personality traits into consideration and ignore the superficial stuff. It may be cute that you both adore the color red but in the long run it really doesn’t matter. If your values and attitudes are similar your relationship will probably have less friction.  This means fewer arguments, disagreements, and a more fulfilling relationship!

So since I’m known to be a little random and completely off topic I wanted to share a YouTube clip that’s been stuck in my head for days now…Ohhh Piece of candy! Ha Ha Ha Enjoy!