There an in-universe reason why the background ponies have similar cutie marks?

[Azureth 687]

As I am sure most have noticed when it comes to background ponies most of them have the same cutie mark as each other. Now I get the out of-universe reason as in it would take much to long and not worth giving every individual pony their own CM, but is there an in-universe explanation? I know I see the hourglass CM all the time, and during the GGG song when it gets to Rarites part all of the stallions have the same sun cutie mark.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

I'm sure if they had the time, the animators would give them unique cutie marks.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

There wouldn't be. The animators are just too lazy to come up with new cutie marks for various ponies. Or they used to be.

[[NULL] 906]

Because creating individual symbols for each and every expendable recycled background character asset would not only a waste of time and money, but it would be insane. Normal people don't care about this kind of thing.

Edited September 10, 2015 by SpaceOnion

[jjbluesam 38]

Let's see. In the real world, there's over 7 billion people. That would probably mean at least a few thousand people would have a similar talent.

 

Apply this to ponies, I assume.

[cider float 2,538]

They're background ponies. 

[A Joe in the Bush 255]

As I am sure most have noticed when it comes to background ponies most of them have the same cutie mark as each other. Now I get the out of-universe reason as in it would take much to long and not worth giving every individual pony their own CM, but is there an in-universe explanation? I know I see the hourglass CM all the time, and during the GGG song when it gets to Rarites part all of the stallions have the same sun cutie mark.

If you guys aren't going to try to answer the question, why bother replying?

 

There are three possibilities I can see here.

 

1. Fake Cutie Marks. They were painted over to match each other on purpose, either because they were staff at the Gala, or they were planning a prank of some sort.

 

2. Hereditary Cutiemarks. The apples all have apple related Cutiemarks. Maybe other families have similar Cutiemarks passed down.

 

3. Grooming. These stallions were groomed from birth to enjoy and be good at a specific thing in order to ensure they get that Cutie Mark,

[Cwanky 17,602]

The wiki and Lauren Faust state it best:

 

 

 

Although cutie marks are supposed to be unique, background ponies' cutie marks are often chosen at random from a set of 'stock' cutie marks. Lauren Faust, in a DeviantArt message, relayed that the cutie marks of background ponies are chosen at random. She jokingly referred to them as "butt symbols."^[1] Earth ponies tend to have food-related or horseshoe marks, unicorns have astrological symbols, and Pegasus ponies have weather-related symbols. Music notes are another common mark, and are present on all three types of background ponies. Occasionally, adult ponies appear without cutie marks, some instances of which have been explained by Lauren Faust as an oversight.^[2]

 

Enjoy your crushed hopes and dreams.

[Princess Lona 382]

I can't think of a better reason than similar talents for most of the background ponies. As for the stallions in Rarity's part of the song, that was kind of a dream sequence so it doesn't have to make sense. I would think of it like a dream sequence in an old cartoon where there is a chorus line of dancing girls who all look exactly the same.