Like several others mentioned, cliques are a part of human society. JWs have them but this is not a valid criticism of the religion, as you?ll find cliques everywhere.
You're VERy right. They are found everywhere. No more or less at the Kingdom Hall than anywhere else.
HOWEVER it is a valid critiscm because they make a big deal of how LOVE for one another being one of the biggest things that sets them apart from other religions. Remember, that's how you'd know Jesus people? Thus is a valid complaint.
For my part, I've never had many friend. But the hall I grew up in, I had a few, simply by wrote of having lived there my entire life. People had seen me grow up, and I'd grown up with a lot of people my age who had sort of been FORCED to associate with me.
When I moved out on my own, got married, etc. I never made another friend at another hall, and the ones I knew grewing up were never very close friends anyway.
Why? I'm a frickin geek that's why. Out in the REAL world geeks band together with geeks. So even if they're getting the shit kicked out of them by others they at least are getting the shit kicked together. Well, no geeks at the kingdom hall. Geek pursuits are worldly, playing video games, reading comics, watching movies... no no, you should be out in service. The organization only favors socially outgoing people... and if you aren't one of those poeple you're just pushed to the side.
So there I am, the fat, ugly, poor nerd. I can't hang out with the rich brothers and sisters, because I don't have any money and drive a crappy car. The good looking brothers and sisters don't want me because I'm definitely not good looking. The spiritual ones don't want me because I'm not outgoing. I'm painfully shy and thus I dont' run around spouting off about the truth to everyone I bump into.
That's just the way it is. You have to fit a specific category to be a part of the congregation, otherwise you're just expected to be at every meeting, show up in service (where no one will want to go in service with you) and be quiet. You'd think that the social losers would band together to form their own group, but it doesn't work that way since you're supposed to be striving to be one of the social winners. ANd you can't do that by hanging around other losers, now can you?