I wonder why couples and relatives are mostly the same race

[Zekromic 1,054]

So, I've been wondering, if earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns can coexist peacefully in an unified kingdom and they rarely pay attention to their races unless it's relevant. Despite that, it's mostly shown that ponies prefer having a couple with somepony withing the same race, as it can be evidenced when you see actual couples together, or withing relatives. It's EXTREMELY rare to see otherwise:

-Big Mac and Cheerilee shipping, both earth ponies

-Mane6 relatives: all of their respective races so far

-Apple clan: most, if not all, earth ponies (there are some unicorn fillies in the photo though, but it can be an error too)

-Jet Set and Upper Crust: both unicorns

-Sistershooves Social participants: All same race

-Blueblood and Trenderhoof, both at one point, targets of Rarity's affections: unicorns

-and a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG etc.

 

In fact, it's easier to list exceptions

-Trenderhoof was infatuated with AJ

-Baby Cakes

-Wild Fire and Lucky in a Canterlot wedding part 1 flashback

-Not sure if ascended alicorns count. Cadance was a pegasus marrying a unicorn, and the inverse with the ship with Twily and the Waifu Thief

(I know there are far more examples of this in the comics, but their canonical stand in the series is more questionable)

 

I think the main reason for this is being easier to deal with your couple if he/she have the same basic abilities as you, also your foals, since it's easier, for example, for a pegasus parent teaching their pegasus foal to fly than an earth pony or unicorn doing it.

 

What do you think of it?

[Moonlight 7,279]

Willing to assume that ponies are attracted to others of the same race since they would know more about that race than another.

 

For example, an unicorn would like an unicorn because they know more about unicorns than say an earth pony or maybe they have more things in common.

-A pegasus would more than likely enjoy flying which can only be accomplished by a pegasus/alicorn and therefore they may like another pegasus since it's common in that race to enjoy flying.

-While unicorns would probably hold more interest in magic than an earth pony would and therefore would want an unicorn partner/relative.

 

Relatives are more than likely heredity than anything else, a mostly earth-pony-dominated family would hold being an earth pony as a dominant trait thus increasing the chance of a relative being the same race. 

[Spartan 433]

Yeah what Wheatley said above,

 

In our world, races rarely mix due to racism, but mostly because its 'easier' to talk to the same race..

 

Example, It took forever for my fieancee's father to accept me since im white and shes black.. Almost ruined that guys life once.. but anyway..

 

as i said, its easier to talk to the same race and date the same, rather then a different one.. But maybe with unicorns, there are arranged marriages to keep the bloodlines going?

[Lucky Star 971]

What do you think of it?

o-o I think that you brought up a good question, gave some good evidence and then made it sound reasonable.

I honestly don't know what I could add other than I agree that it would be easier to have parents that understand your abilities, being a unicorn with a Pegasus dad who can't teach you anything would be horrid.

but when it comes to two ponies falling in love, I don't see there being much of a problem.

just because we haven't seen much of it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen all the time.

[paradoxical 1,735]

The CMC disagrees with your premise; they stated that Ponyville is special because all three get along so well.

 

And this premise won them a place in the Equestria Games.

 

Ponyville is also a fairly new settlement, so most of the ponies there moved in from elsewhere [including 4 of the mane 6]

[Zekromic 1,054]

The CMC disagrees with your premise; they stated that Ponyville is special because all three get along so well.

 

And this premise won them a place in the Equestria Games.

 

Ponyville is also a fairly new settlement, so most of the ponies there moved in from elsewhere [including 4 of the mane 6]

Yes, no problems in interactions, but in the case of having a couple and married ponies, it's rare seeing different races in that sort of relationship 

 

o-o I think that you brought up a good question, gave some good evidence and then made it sound reasonable.

I honestly don't know what I could add other than I agree that it would be easier to have parents that understand your abilities, being a unicorn with a Pegasus dad who can't teach you anything would be horrid.

but when it comes to two ponies falling in love, I don't see there being much of a problem.

just because we haven't seen much of it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen all the time.

That's probably a main reason of why so few interracial coupling shown in the show, since it's not only about race, it's about the natural abilities of each, unlike us, which is mostly skin color

 

Yeah what Wheatley said above,

 

In our world, races rarely mix due to racism, but mostly because its 'easier' to talk to the same race..

True, due to racism, there are still issues in making interracial friendships, even more so in having a couple. But as seen in the show, ponies don't have problems getting along with different races of themselves, but they still draw a line most of the time with having a special pony, but it's likely due to being easier, as racism seems mostly gone from Equestria

 

Oh, now that I remember, I forgot to mention a crucial evidence that interSPECIES can happen in Equestria, the mule, mules can only be bred mixing a horse or pony with a donkey 

[Shanks 10,811]

It is probably the same reason why this is also the case with humans and no I am not just talking about racism. That would be oversimplifying things a bit, sure a racist won't seek out a mate from a different ethnic group or I suppose sub species in this case so that goes without saying. But I am fairly certain that Rarity is not a racist for the most part. People or ponies in this case are naturally attracted to similarity in many cases on a subconscious level. I don't think Rarity is deliberately only seeking out unicorn stallions but I think there are subconscious factors at play that cause her to be more likely to be interested in them. We know that she is interested in things that are regarded as "refined" and elegant and there are many things about unicorn culture that fit this description.

 

We know that each pony race has its own unique culture, that is not to say that they can't get along with each other or that said dating across pony species dosen't happen but this again goes to similarity. What kind of mate do you think Applejack for example would go for? Probably one that viewed family as important which any of the pony races are capable of but she seems to prefer simplicity and function which is different from unicorn culture. Granted I am generalizing a bit but I think this is clearly at play here. It is not so much racism that is causing this but merely a desire to not so much have mates that are the same subspecies but ones that have the same opinions, priorities and values.

[sweetolebob18 724]

Brings to mind the old joke

If the kids look like their father, it's heredity

If they look like their neighbors, it's environment

 

Seriously, though.  For Pegasi, most of them seem to live in cloud houses & presumably cloud cities like Cloudsdale.  It is probably difficult as well as dangerous for a non Pegasus to live there.  They marry each other because most of their friends are Pegasi because that is who they live near & work with.

[cider float 2,535]

This does bring up the question of "opposites attract."

 

This makes me think alicorns are closer to unicorns due to Twilight x Flash and Cadence x Shining Armor. You don't see any alicorn attracted to earth ponies or pegasi.

[Steve Piranha 28,768]

This does bring up the question of "opposites attract."

 

This makes me think alicorns are closer to unicorns due to Twilight x Flash and Cadence x Shining Armor. You don't see any alicorn attracted to earth ponies or pegasi.

except for the fact that Flash Sentry is a pegasus  though 

[cider float 2,535]

except for the fact that Flash Sentry is a pegasus  though 

Oh so he is hard to pay attention when he makes a brief appearance.

[[NULL] 906]

The animators most likely categorize their background character flash assets by race, thus it's quicker to just pick two random characters of the same race.

[SolyWack 482]

It is probably the same reason why this is also the case with humans and no I am not just talking about racism. That would be oversimplifying things a bit, sure a racist won't seek out a mate from a different ethnic group or I suppose sub species in this case so that goes without saying. But I am fairly certain that Rarity is not a racist for the most part. People or ponies in this case are naturally attracted to similarity in many cases on a subconscious level. I don't think Rarity is deliberately only seeking out unicorn stallions but I think there are subconscious factors at play that cause her to be more likely to be interested in them. We know that she is interested in things that are regarded as "refined" and elegant and there are many things about unicorn culture that fit this description.

 

We know that each pony race has its own unique culture, that is not to say that they can't get along with each other or that said dating across pony species dosen't happen but this again goes to similarity. What kind of mate do you think Applejack for example would go for? Probably one that viewed family as important which any of the pony races are capable of but she seems to prefer simplicity and function which is different from unicorn culture. Granted I am generalizing a bit but I think this is clearly at play here. It is not so much racism that is causing this but merely a desire to not so much have mates that are the same subspecies but ones that have the same opinions, priorities and values.

This is a good summary of what i would put. Even if someone isnt a racist, I cant begrudge people for finding people of the same ethnicity to be more attractive than someone from a foreign ethnicity.

[GenderIsAnIllusion 2,177]

I'm sure hundreds of years of slander against interracial relations has absolutely nothing to do with that.