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Author Bill Bishop said Mr. Beck’s Independence, USA would be an extreme version of a pre-existing trend. Mr. Bishop’s book, The Big Sort, theorizes American communities are becoming more insular and similar internally and in turn, simultaneously are looking more and more different from one another. As a result, red states are becoming redder and blue states are becoming bluer — and this is happening even at the neighbourhood and city level.

“Places are becoming more alike in the way families are formed and the way they vote and education levels,” he said, adding that even regional accents are becoming more pronounced. “People are trying to find those places where they can find reinforcement from others who are like themselves.”

There are risks, he said, with such insular communities.

It’s limiting what people see. Whenever you isolate yourself in a community that is increasingly like-minded then you’ll have a limitation on the number of ideas that are available

“It’s limiting what people see. Whenever you isolate yourself in a community that is increasingly like-minded then you’ll have a limitation on the number of ideas that are available,” Mr. Bishop said.

There is less of a chance for people to understand those who are different from them if they stay in their isolated community, while mixed communities become more tolerant of differences, he said.

“The problem with having a like-minded community is that over time it becomes more extreme in the way that people are like-minded,” he said.

Mr. Beck’s community would be self-sustaining, not naturally formed. Arguably, this could make the community more insular.

Regardless of whether his proposal is built, Mr. Beck has articulated a concept many Americans may be eager to be part of — second chance at the American Dream.

“[The streets] weren’t paved in gold, they weren’t,” said Mr. Beck. “They were paved in people’s dreams and people’s hard work. That is the gold of America … to be able to pursue your dreams.”

National Post