Simmel, Greog “The Metropolis and Mental Life.” In the Wealth, Power and Inequality

The difference between the urban life and rural life is evident as both lifestyles are way different from each other in so many terms, and one cannot refuse this fact by any argument, as there can be so much evidence to prove this fact right. This is what has been the subject of Greog Simmel’s book “The Metropolis and Mental Life”. The book was written so many decades ago, but facts and points mentioned in the book look so much relevant even today’s urban and rural life that how different they are from each other. Now, it is important to understand that what facts are there behind this difference, and what forces an individual living in an urban area to change his mental and psychological state, which is never inherited in an individual living in a rural area. It has been observed that metropolis life is dominated by various things, which are based on power, wealth and money that create so much inequality in the society that people with less power and wealth are always struggling to get equal in this regard, but it does not happen for everyone. So, these are few initial points, which put the basis for this difference between the rural and urban life (HORNING, 2010)

How Wealth, Power and Inequality Dominates Urban Life vs. Rural Life

The important question to seek answer is that what forces people to change their mental life and state of mind, when they start living in a metropolis area? To find out relevant answers, one has to look at the aspects described by Greog Simmel that what changes the life of an individual in an urban living. He comes with a theory that explains that how an individual’s thought process and mental state of mind is affected by the life of a big city, where things do not happen like it happen in rural life. The life in a big city is not an easy one, as it is based on wealth, power and money, so it asks every individual to show resistance and determination of his survival in a world, where relationships are not based on any social values like they do in rural life, rather relationships are driven by the forces of wealth, power and money. People do develop relationships on the basis of societal status of others, like if someone is lower in social status due to lack of money, wealth and power, then such individual may not get a place in the society of those, who are more wealthy and powerful (HORNING, 2010)

 So, this is irony of the metropolis life that individuals have to struggle with the elements of power and wealth, and if they are not able to achieve these feats, then things become extremely difficult, and inequality steps in with a strong presence. It is a fact that when there would be a society based on power and wealth aspects, then there will always be inequality in such society because everyone does not have the luxury of power and wealth, as it is something, which is enjoyed by the small portion of a society. So, the urban life is based on more materialistic terms, as compared to the rural life, which have its basis on feelings that help to develop relationships based on emotions rather any material. On the other hand, the emotions and feelings may have no place in urban life, as there is not time for such things, and relationships will be driven by the element of power and wealth. The people with high status injected with wealth & power will look to develop relationship with those, who are equal to them in status and power, and people with less power & status will keep struggling to reach the level of high status in life so that they can get an equal place in arena of the urban life. But issue is that it is not possible for everyone to do so and there will always people, who will remain lower in social status, power and wealth, which will keep injecting inequality in the urban lifestyle (Goebel, 2015)

Simmel came with so many relevant arguments to focus more on relationships between people in the urban life and rural life, and quality of these relationships will always be based on various factors, which can have a great impact on mental state of mind and psyche of the individuals that how they may live their lives. The difference between the life of urban and rural man is based on its values, and these values are depicted by Simmel by saying that “The carrier of man's values is no longer the "general human being" in every individual, but rather man's qualitative uniqueness and irreplaceability” So, these two factors of human values actually defines that how a society will be developed as a whole and how relationships between individuals will exist. In all rule areas, the life is based on social networks which are natural and organic in nature, and there basis is on traditional groups with their family & friends. The other most important element of the rural life is its limited size, which helps to create group of people more conveniently as compared to urban areas, where life is busy as number of people are too many making urban cities more populated. The small groups in rural life have more meaningful as well as intimate relationships, which have the essence of feelings and emotions attached. People tend to remain in the jurisdiction and rules of these small groups, and never try to do anything to stand out (Wolff, 1950)

 On the other hand, things are quite different in an urban setting as compared to rural setting, because one fact is to keep in mind is that urban life is driven by the money economy, which means that money remains the center of almost everything. So, natural, organic and emotional relationships have no place in an urban life, because decisions in metropolis areas are based on rational choices. These relationships will always be based on the fact that what will be gained by giving something. It means that these relationships are always objective in nature, which has some reason behind, which means that no one will develop any relation without any particular reason. If one individual is interacting with the others, there must be some reason behind that what will be gained by this particular relationship. It is said by the Greog Simmel that “Instead of reacting emotionally, the metropolitan type reacts primarily in a rational manner, thus creating a mental predominance through the intensification of consciousness, which in turn is caused by it” (Simmel, 1903). It automatically means that such relationships looks at the advantages or benefits, which they will get by developing any relationship, because everyone in the urban life is fighting the war of its existence with power, wealth and money. It is a fact that even in urban life, people will need to form groups to move forward with a social structure, which maybe complex, but still it will exist. The fact of the matter is that this kind of stimulus will always develop an urban lifestyle and attitude, where mentality and psyche of people will be based on only looking at their own benefits, rather looking at the society as a whole. Such things are essential in an urban lifestyle, which makes it a totally different one from the rural lifestyle (Rampages.us, 2015)

It is important to analyze above mentioned aspects from thought process of Greog Simmel that if they are relevant to the today’s modern urban life or not. When things are analyzed closely in today’s urban lifestyle, the theory developed by Simmel looks very much applicable. It has talked about so many elements, which are still relevant to the modern life. The life in urban areas is still objective because money economy is still the dominant factor. It is true that life patterns in rural areas have also started to change a bit due to various factors such as technology, but those changes are still not that dominant in real rural settings, and people still live in small groups having relationships based on feelings, intimation and emotions. The fact of the matter is that urban life is making a considerable impact on rural life as well, but still many good social perspectives are attached to rural life, which have never flourished in the metropolis life. The issues of metropolis life in the era of Simmel have persisted, and they are still there with their strong presence.

Conclusion on Simmel, Greog “The Metropolis and Mental Life.” In the Wealth, Power and Inequality

After analyzing the book and its content with relevant theories, it can be said that there is enough evidence to say that there are so many differences between the metropolis life and rural life. These differences are evident in so many ways and they have been there for decades, and even when today’s modern life is analyzed keeping the Simmel’s theory in view, it is evident that today’s urban life is still dominated by money, power and wealth, which has always encouraged inequality in the society. So, individuals keep struggling for their existence and individuality to get equality with the essence of power, money and wealth. This difference between rural and urban life seems to continue for future as well because these differences are so strong, and they cannot easily be mitigated.a

References of Simmel, Greog “The Metropolis and Mental Life.” In the Wealth, Power and Inequality

Goebel, M. (2015). A metropolitan world. Retrieved June 27, 2019, from https://aeon.co/essays/intellectual-life-is-still-catching-up-to-urbanisation

HORNING, R. (2010). Simmel's "The Metropolis and Mental Life". Retrieved June 27, 2019, from https://www.popmatters.com/131028--2496138076.html

Rampages.us. (2015). Georg Simmel “The Metropolis and Mental Life”. Retrieved June 27, 2019, from https://rampages.us/mitchelldixs/georg-simmel-the-metropolis-and-mental-life/

Simmel, G. (1903). The Metropolis and Mental Life. Retrieved June 27, 2019, from https://www.blackwellpublishing.com/content/bpl_images/content_store/sample_chapter/0631225137/bridge.pdf

Wolff, K. (1950). The Metropolis and Mental Life by Georg Simmel. Retrieved June 27, 2019, from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2344/875b14502ec1b3487b2cdcb2fbb47e562dcc.pdf