Space and Place in Human Communication

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Space and Place in Human Communication
Prompt A
One of the characteristics of urban spaces and experiences is high density. According to Park and Burgess (p.54), cities are characterized by a great flow of people into urban spaces, contributing to increasing population growth. Therefore, cities have large, high-concentrated communities compared to rural areas. In addition, urban spaces attract many people and items due to the monetary aspects associated with cities. According to Simmel (p.353), metropolitan cities are the centers for money exchange formed through a money economy. They have a high concentration on not only men but also items for purchase. Urban spaces attract people from rural areas who are interested in participating in the money economy. Brodber (p.16) reveals that historically, people have traveled to the city to sell their labor and farm produce. Some seek temporary accommodation in cities, while others become long-term city dwellers. Ultimately, this migration of rural dwellers to urban cities has contributed to the high density of people in urban spaces.
The second characteristic of urban spaces and experiences is heterogeneity. According to Park and Burgess (p.56), cities are differentiated based on income levels or social classes, economic division of labor, and cultural groups. All these groups subscribe to different patterns of life or lifestyles, making the city a dwelling place for diverse people. The urban experiences are also different for these different groups of city dwellers. For example, income levels determine where people will live in the city. Those of low income are likely to live in slums, as Brodber (p.4) demonstrated in the exploration of Jamaican yards.
The third characteristic of urban spaces and experiences is that they lack intimacy. The relationships of urban dwellers are impersonal in most cases, and as Simmel (p351) indicates, they only interact with others out of social obligations. It is unlikely for urban spaces to provide personal, intimate relationships because people interact out of necessity to achieve their own different interests.
The impersonal nature of urban spaces also influences human communication. Because of the interrelatedness of the urban lie and the desire to meet diverse needs, communication is necessary. Park and Burgess (p.53) indicate that city dwellers share certain basic amenities, and as such, they must rely on communal existence. They use human communication to create a sense of cooperation even when their interactions are impersonal. In addition, the money aspect of urban spaces and experiences influences the way human beings communicate. According to Simmel (p351), urban dwellers have a matter-of-fact attitude, which is “obviously so intimately interrelated with the money economy.” As such, the money economy in urban spaces promotes a matter-of-fact attitude in the interactions among urban dwellers. Communication is formal and often presented as a matter of fact because everyone is focused on serving their interests. However, even in this matter-of-factness, there is some degree of interrelatedness to achieve these personal interests.
Since urban spaces and e...