What do you think about the theory that segregated societies happen unconsciously?

Here is an interactive model that you can try for yourself. Very interesting in how it works.

That is certainly true for birds. Occasionally there are integrated groups but, in general, they follow the “birds of a feather flock together” rule.

Simplistically if the animals have similar brains, bodies, and needs, it is logical they will make similar decisions and tend to end up in the same space and time.

I think blue and yellow dots don’t tell the whole story. To answer your main question, yes I think people segregate themselves with the group they identify with. Not all
People do it, I’m talking in general terms. I think social-economic class has a significant impact on this. I also think how diverse an area is is makes a significant impact. In the exercise of the blue and yellow dots there are only two choices. What if there were 7 colors? Every color of the rainbow. Then other factors come into play for who you would identify with. Also, what if the yellow dots make more money than the blue dots? And, you’re a yellow dot making the money a blue dot makes. The blue dots live near better schools, less crime, more green space, are you as a yellow sit going to move out of your perceived group into your new socio-economic group? Probably. Will the blue dots care? Not at first. Not until it seems like a lot of yellow dots are moving in. If the property value holds up, crime stays low, and people seem to have similar values, the blue dots might continue to stay. If not, they move.

Back to the 7 colors of the rainbow. Once you are one of the many and all neighborhoods and workplaces within a certain distance are very diverse things change in my opinion. Your area is just diverse period.

Also, mentioning workplace. I know someone who says in America certain jobs are now very occupied by immigrants, and especially if they speak another language, but that doesn’t have to be the case, the people who used to do the job no longer feel comfortable doing it. People in America say we need Hispanic immigrants to work our fields, because “Americans” won’t do it. Yet we have Americans who need jobs. Is that really true? Or, is there a segregation dynamic going on? Someone I know who owns a few McDonald’s once said to me that 40 years ago he employed teenage kids from his neighborhood and now they won’t take those jobs. Basically, he was saying the middle class white kids won’t do it anymore so his pool of labor is lower class now. It wouldn’t surprise me if he also meant not “white.”

I think this happens a lot less among professional jobs that earn high incomes and high income neighborhoods also.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that sometimes groups get sort of pushed out. New immigrants, or new groups, make a move into a neighborhood or industry and their families, friends, peers follow suit.

That’s probably true for humans as well as birds. In fact, it’s pretty easy to believe.

People, in general, gravitate to those similar to them. Sometimes skin color, sometimes gender, sometimes socioeconomic status, sometimes <whatever is a differentiator>.

Let’s say I walk into a room full of people talking about cars. I’m a big Corvette buff. It’s much more likely that I’ll seek out the Corvette group than the Miata group.

Now multiply that times 100,000 in terms of the interactions you (or anyone else) makes every day.

Keep in mind that the model shows that just a slight preference for one’s own kind will result in a high degree of segregation, even if people have a cut-off of just ⅓ the population being like them. I invite you to follow the link from my previous post to see just how insidious this process is.

I think that social-economics has a greater influence over who lives next to whom than ethnicity and what the local community’s culture will be.

It is absolutely true.

People may “flock” together, but it is by no means the result of unconscious decisions. The decision to seek out your “own kind”, and more importantly, to exclude others is a VERY conscious and deliberate choice.

I was just walking around my property in the orchard and the woods and noticed that segregation is not limited to animals. Even the plants and grasses are segregated. And they did that themselves without external intervention There were clumps of a small purple weed growing in the gravel driveway. There is moss growing on the ground near the pine trees,. There were grasses growing along the base of the barn. There are so many different microclimates and situations. For each set of conditions one life form excels, takes root, and spreads pusing the others out.

I’m not sure if it’s in the article or a link from it but if people realise that this will happen unless you make a conscious effort to go against this inclination

It’s totally logical. People are most comfortable being around people like themselves.