Introduction
George Simmel was a German sociologist who did works on individuality and culture, in explaining the sociology of urban areas. His work on the relationship between city life and the mind of different individuals was not a success then, as he gave city life a negative picture. He further creates a picture that the effect of the metropolis on the mind is irreversible, though he does not picture it as totally negative on the individual or their mind. (Lin & Melle, 2005)
According to Simmel one of the deep-reaching problems of modern life begins from the attempts of a person to maintain the freedom and individuality of his being that is in opposition to the superior powers of city life. An example of these characteristics of modern life that bring about new forms of consciousness includes external cultures, politics, religion, division of labor, and the dependence on others for survival. A good example of this aspect of Simmel’s argument is the compulsion of individuals living in cities to embrace and adapt to other cultures that include dressing and language among others. (Simmel, 1976)
Other aspects that limit the freedom of the individual include living and working with different people who hold different political and religious values. On the aspect of the division of labor an individual is placed within a given point in a production or work institution and they specialize in the given area. The fact that they have to take their duty without any choice so as to get the whole system working smoothly limits their levels of choice and freedom. An example of this is the complementary work of a doctor and a nurse, wherein this case none can take or fail to need the services of the other (Lin & Melle, 2005)
The effect of specialization on the individual
The distinctive aspect of contradiction between the individual and the new way of life builds up around the work activities. The contradiction results from the attempts to have the individual adapting to the social and technological conditions surrounding the work sphere of life, and the attempts to level the different groups of people within the city. The other source of consciousness is the attempts to make each individual different through specialization in work and thus making them useful to the maximum possible level. The effect of specialization on the individual is that it limits the creativity of individuals and turns their work into somehow mechanized operations as can be seen in the current society. (Simmel, 1976)
The other cause for the new consciousness is the attempts to check the individual and help use their abilities in the best way possible. This is done by having the individual drop their individualistic pursuits and act as a constituent element of the society, which is contrary to human nature. A good example in this area is the administration of justice where an individual in meeting their own needs and demands may end up compromising the rights of other individuals. (Lin & Melle, 2005)
He further goes a step higher to attribute the new consciousness to the escalation of nervous stimuli that come as a result of the rapid nonstop variation of the inner and outer stimuli. He explains this cause by arguing that humans are differentiating beings by the use of their cognitive mind that is stimulated by a series of dissimilar impressions. He further argues that lasting impressions bring about less of new consciousness than does the short-lived ones, and he attributes the metropolis environment to such unexpected, irregular fast-changing impressions. He goes further to attribute these conditions to the numerous social, work-related, and economic surroundings that give rise to the highly conscious sensory basis of the psychic self. As a result, the development of emotional relations is hampered and the individual becomes more discriminative. A good example of this is the aggressiveness that develops in drivers operating in areas that experience traffic congestion. (Simmel, 1976)
The other aspect of the metropolis that results in new forms of consciousness is the money economy where economic exchange forms a core part of life, and the environment of exchange dominates the intellect of individuals. This goes further to affect the way an individual relates with others and the surroundings and is displayed through elements of hardness and basing of social relations on monetary quantities. The other aspect within the money economy field is the fact that individuals produce goods for others, forming the market and with who they don’t have any personal contact. This further leads to unmerciful ness in production thus bringing about compromise in quality, quantity, and the safety of the products that go into the market. A good example in this area is the production of goods that are below the required quality standard, so as to maximize economic gain. (Lin & Melle, 2005)
The other aspect that has led to new forms of consciousness is that the contemporary individual’s brain has become extra calculative. This can be seen in the attempt of giving solutions to all aspects of life in numerical determinations and formulations. This is brought about by the collection of many people who hold varied interests and to have them met, they integrate into a very complex whole guided by time, deadlines, and penalties for not meeting the requirements. This can be explained by the operation of work and other activities that have to be done within given times so as to meet the time demands of the activities and individuals. (Simmel, 1976)
Another aspect that is related to the money economy and that results in the new consciousness is the attachment of quality, differences, the core of different things, specific value, comparability, and individuality to monetary standards. Another aspect of city life that results in the new consciousness is the fact that each and every individual does not have any personal acquaintance with the others and therefore the dealings are seen to be generally reserve. In contemporary society, all agreements, plans, and dealings have to be sealed formally in form of contracts and by specialized individuals like Lawyers. (Lin & Melle, 2005)
Simmel further points out that the boundaries of the city are ever-expanding and therefore this creating more opportunities for wealth creation, and ever-increasing progression. This aspect further brings about new forms of consciousness in intellectual, personal, and economic relations within the cities. (Lin & Melle, 2005)
Having discussed the aspects of city life that bring about the new forms of consciousness, we will have to develop and analyze a contemporary case that will help explain the different aspects of city life. In current city life, foreign cultures form a major part of everyday life and they are imposed on the people already living in the urban areas in the forms of new dressing modes, fashion, and new religious beliefs. These aspects of city life thus compel the urban dwellers to adopt them or live with people who uphold them, therefore, demand for diversified thinking. (Simmel, 1976)
The division of work and specialization in cities can be seen in the way things operate in modern cities, first, every individual specializes in a given part of the same production process that complements those of others. This can be clearly seen in processing industries, where if the individual workers handling the packaging of the processed goods do not work the whole production process stops until they resume. This in turn turns the free working that individuals desire into automated operations. The other aspects that form a major part of contemporary society and that contribute to new consciousness include the money exchange system and the ever-changing urban vision, that result from the large number of activities both economic and social that are in progress. The other aspects of modern life that contribute to the new forms of thinking were discussed earlier though not deep into details. (Simmel, 1976)
On the other hand, the ancient city life that had the characteristics of a small town had totally different values due to the ever-present threat to its existence from enemies within and outside the group. It is also characteristic of strict unity between the military and political conditions of the group, where each individual has their activities monitored. However, this results in the suppression of the weaker members by the powerful ones. He further attributes the pre-metropolis society to small-mindedness and prejudices (Simmel, 1976)
Conclusion
Simmel’s metropolis ideas can to a large extent be argued to be manipulative rather than existential. However, it can be generally argued that the aspects the idea takes, far much help in attaining a balance where the individuals’ needs and those of society can be catered for. However, it still has negative effects especially on the social relations of the different members of the society.
Reference list
Simmel, G. (1976). The Metropolis and Mental life. The sociology of George Simmel.Newyork: Free press.
Lin, J., & Melle, C. Ed (2005). The urban sociology reader. London: Routledge.