Harmonic Convergence?

I have a theory, a weak one, that has to do with fundamental design: when people work on the look and feel of one thing long enough, diverse ideas tend to coalesce over time until the design of any one thing tends to look only one way. I think part of the reason this happens is because function is so critical to good design, and while dramatic and unique design has its place, form and function balance toward an 'acceptable' look. Ease of use is so critical to what 'looks right' that mass design tends to look pretty much the same.

Latest case in point: the homepage screens of AOL and the redesigned page from Yahoo!