Page 155 - fourth year book

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

5. Formality of relations:

In urban social life, relations are not intimate and kinship based. Most

routine social contacts in the city are impersonal and segmented. Formal
politeness takes the place of genuine friendliness. The impersonality of

urban life is a necessary and convenient way of urban living.

6. Social distance:

City people are physically crowded but socially distant. Social distance is

a product of anonymity, impersonality and heterogeneity. Occupational
differences may be even more important sources of social distance.

Urbanites become nigh-dwellers, not neighbours. Apartment dwellers
may live for years without any acquaintance with many of the other

occupants.

7. Regimentation:

The city is always in hurry. The life (work and entertainment) in the

urban community becomes ‘clock regulated’. Order, regularity and the
punctuality are the characteristics of urban life. On the streets, his

movement is controlled by traffic lights, on railway stations and other
places by elevators and escalators.

8. Segmentation of personality:

Most routine urban contacts are of secondary group rather than primary

group nature. Most contacts are instrumental, that is, we use another

person as a necessary functionary to fulfill our purposes. We do not
necessarily interact with entire persons but with people in terms of their
formal roles as postman, bus driver, office assistant, policeman and other

functionaries. We thus interact with only a segment of the person, not

with the whole person.

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