‘The Metropolis and Mental Life,’
Reading Reflection on George Simmel ‘The Metropolis and Mental Life,’
In ‘The Metropolis and Mental Life,’ George Simmel contrasted the differences between living in the city and living in a small town. According to Simmel, people who lived in rural areas are more tied to their communities. On the other hand, metropolitans are desensitized to new experiences due to the overstimulation caused by city life. Simmel finally states that the environment where one lives, whether urban or rural, forms permanently the nature of this person’s soul.
I grew up in Ottawa, which is a reasonably large city. But I have spent a lot of time vacationing in both tiny towns and vast cities. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in each of them. In response to Simmel’s belief that the type of area you live in can have an irreversible effect on your personality, I believe that the environment around you is what you make. The vast metropolis that I have spent some time in is New York City. It is possible to walk around quickly with your eyes on the ground and never once smile at anyone who passes you by. But it’s also entirely possible to have friendly conversations with the person standing next to you in line and sitting beside you on the subway.
It’s easy to have a conversation with everyone you pass in a small town because you recognize everyone around you. But you can just as easily walk with your head down, going to and from places to achieve tasks and meet needs. I think that where you live is what you make of it, and I believe you can turn your big city into a town by being friendly and regarding everyone as your neighbor. The writer has spent time in Newfoundland, where almost everyone knows your full name.