The company you keep

So what else is new? You are known by the company you keep. If you surround yourself with a bunch of thieves, you'll be known for a thief. If you merge with a bunch of happy-go-lucky wastrels, you'll be known for a useless layabout. If you like to be around intellectuals, you'll be known for one. AND so on.

Tiru, though, goes one step further. In this one...

Nilaththiyalbaal neerthirin dhatraagum maandharkku inaththiyalba dhaagum arivu - Tirukkural

Just as water takes on the characteristics of the land it flows, people adopt the characteristics of their company - Loose Translation

So, according to Tiru, it is not merely that you will be ASSUMED to be like your companions; you will actually BECOME like your companions.

In small ways, you will recognise that fact yourself. You will find that your whole group use some words and phrases in common, for example. Just like, say, you use some jargon in common with your Gen, you will use jargon specific to your group. Your attitudes will also tend to align - there are groups that like studying, say, and there are those who make fun of them. Some of those attitudes may not be yours to start with but peer pressure IS a thing, no? I mean, if you are all liberals and the others are anti-abortion, can you be pro-abortion. If it is only an intellectual position and not something that you have to DO yourself, would you not flip?

Your attitudes drive your actions. You cannot BE a nerd while making fun of nerds, can you? If you are atheists, can you make a weekly visit to the temple or pray for a good result in today's interview? One after the other your words, thoughts and actions are bound to change. The longer you keep the company, the less likely you are to be different in any major way.

No, you do not all become clones. In other matters than those considered important by the group, you can be as individualistic as you please. Even in those matters of importance, the extent of your buy-in will vary. But if you do not buy in at all, you'll not be in THAT group for too long, will you?

I mean, after all, if you ARE in a echo chamber, you ARE bound to echo those in it, no?