Wirth And Simmel

One can describe the city in many different ways. Authors Louis Wirth and Georg Simmel suggest that the city, and the basis of our social order in the urban world can be symbolized as the traffic signal, the uniform and the clock. The traffic signal and the clock describe how members of society are constantly working together with individuals who have no sentimental and emotional ties with each other, and how this creates a sense of competition and fighting to expand one’s power or status, and mutual exploitation. The necessary frequent movement of the large population in a high capacity habitat causes friction and irritation. Nervous tensions which derive from such personal frustrations are enhanced by the rapid tempo and the complicated technology under which life in dense areas must be lived. The uniform, denotes the role of the functionaries, and are oblivious to the personal eccentricities hidden behind the uniform. One only sees the face of the individual that they have …show more content…
They divide the city, yet bring everyone together, yet keep everyone apart. Lewis Mumford uses a statement that could be used to describe the bus stop. People are “withdrawn from barbarous fixity and force, to certain mildness of manners, and to humanity and justice…” People at the bus stop can put down the mask they want people to see, and take a break. No one needs to impress the other and no one is trying to be better than the individual who is also waiting for the bus. Everyone is equal at the bus stop. The pressure of trying to have that high status disappears in that moment. At the bus stop, people can face the realities of the life that they live. It is the time to think and in your head, go over how your day went, or how you want your day to be. But in the end, we all have places to go and all share this means of transportation. The bus stop is a common denominator of members of