Do people only associate with others like themselves

[FedupofArsenalgame]

After reading the 49 year old who was asked if she was a grandparent I noticed that many people state the don't know anyone in their " social circle" who would be. It's got me thinking whether people only keep social circles with the same " type" ?

For example all MC in professional jobs, or sahm etc etc etc

Thinking of a group of 6 of us women who socialize regularly we have a hairdresser, a barrister, a " lady who lunches" a delivery driver, payroll clerk and someone on disability benefits.

So completely different to each other. As far as kids are concerned 3 are child free, 2 have 3 adult children and grandchildren, and another has one adult child.

Seems we all get a varying view of others lives but is this unusual? Rather than sticking strictly to our own " type"

Yeah so do I lol

Pubs.

Should imagine sports could be a common denominator.

I think generally people’s social circle consists of similar socio-economic groups.

Unless they class cross like when a working class person goes to university.

🤭🤭🤭 anyone that says they don’t judge is a LIAR.

You would be amazed at how many working class people go to university.

I’m happier in the company of people who live a similar life to me.
One of my close friends has 5 kids and I have 4. Birds of a feather flock together. 😄

All of my closest friends were met either at university, work (I'm a teacher), friends of friends, or NCT/ baby groups. So I think by its nature my friendship group definitely skews female and middle class...

I think about this too. My friends are all a messy group of fellow skint, single parents, some aren’t working, some are on benefits, some are ND and struggle with leaving the house or their MH.
What bonds us together is the constant firefighting and the feeling that we’re sort of always on the brink of meltdown.
My sister meanwhile seems to have all settled friends, none of them are single parents, their lives are all weddings, holidays and ‘making memories’. We had similar upbringings and education, so I’m curious about when our social circles changed so much.
I would feel completely overwhelmed amongst her friends and their lives are so different to mine. She would probably have a headache after spending a day with mine!

I don't have a big circle of friends, but yes, I tend to gravitate towards people I have quite a lot in common with. They don't necessarily have the same views about everything, so it's not really an eco chamber imo.

It's not something that I set out to do but honestly yes, my friends do tend to be fairly similar to me. The only way any of my immediate friends are going to become 49 year old grandparents would be one of their kids becoming a teenage parent.

I can't imagine people that are buying 1.3million pound homes are friends with the local Uber driver.

???

As I was one of them I would not be.

I mean my upbringing (working/underclass) and my life now (incredibly middle class) and my circle now and youth are very different.

So 49 year old grandmothers don’t shock me as much as others.

My mom was 18 when she had me and at school the “oldest” mom was one who started in her late 20s. Post uni and doing my accountancy practice all my colleagues were baffled by my parents being in their 40s

I’ll rephrase: middle class people would be amazed at how many working class people go to university.

That’s the point - barrister and bin man would represent a broad range of jobs and social class. Whereas ‘finance, public sector and charity’ are all very similar. @Comedycook wasn’t saying it’s common or easy for barristers and bin men to be mates, just that this would count as a broad range whereas the ones listed really don’t.

I think a lot of people like to tell themselves that they have a really broad social circle but mostly people don’t, not on any meaningful level anyway.

Often people have superficial passing connections with people very different from them, but not many people have a hugely diverse range of very close friends that they regularly socialise with, especially where class comes into it.

Obviously there are always exceptions though.

I have friends from: school, university, work and former jobs, kids at the same school, running club. All of those places are/ were fairly economically homogenous and so, with a few exceptions, are my friends. The one place that I go that is much more varied is church.

They would?

I will take your word for it.

I don't think you are being unreasonable per se but it is unusual (and probably a good thing) that you have such a mixed bag of friends

Well said! Some outright ignorance on this thread. Apparently only affluent South of the country areas have predominantly women in their 30s, having dcs. 😂

Not at all. How boring that would be!

It’s probably true. I don’t have a single friend who went to private school so a lot of MN seems like a whole other world. To me private school is a big deal and a marker that someone is very posh/privileged so it’s funny to see it discussed so casually.

Most of my friends are also similar age and point in life as me as well.

But how did you meet?
I live in the same town as thousands of people but I haven't met them all and made friends with them.
There is a piece of information missing!

Look at the comments from the post op was talking about. Very snobby and classiest. So yes, they would be very surprised.

There’s logistical reasons too. People on council estates and on benefits wouldn’t be able to socialise in the same way that someone on 6 futures would. I noticed this when I had a mix of WC and MC friends, MC friends always wanted to meet up out in the fresh air and would usually buy a coffee and pastry, whilst my WC mates were much happier in their own houses or at mine. This could just be them though, and may not apply to all.

They arent saying they are friends with everyone and have met them all.