What are the Important Features of Urban Life?

List of Important Features of Urban Life:

By virtue of its size and population:

The city cannot be a primary group. The inhabitants of a city do not come into primary contact with each other. They meet and speak without knowing each other’s name. In short, urban contacts are sentimental. It is part of persons, not whole persons. Although they are aware of the existence of many institutional organizations and many people around them, they do not feel a sense of belongingness to any one group or community.

Generally, relationships are contractual and fleeting:

It is formed for one purpose or the other and is over once the ends are met. Thus, the general character of urban relationships are utilitarian in nature.

The city is more heterogeneous than the villages:

It is the meeting spot of races, people and cultures. Tolerance of individual differences gives rise to secularism. Thus, secular values are generally . associated with the urban way of life.

The trend in the urban world:

The trend in the urban world is clearly in the direction of a larger percentage of specialized work leading to a multiplicity of organizations, economic and social. The city is the place for all, the semi skilled worker, the skilled artisan, the technician, the artist, the teacher and many others. It is a heterogeneous group of people engaged in various pursuits. The city tasks are divided and sub-divided to such an extreme that even the work of unskilled labor becomes specialized.

The family has been subjected to profound modifications of an economic:

The family has been subjected to profound modifications of an economic social and sociological nature. The modem family is no longer the economic and self-sufficient unit. The size and functions of the family have been reduced. Its functions have been taken over by specialized agencies e.g schools, clubs etc. The functions of the present day family tend to revolve around personality. It is more individualized and democratic where women enjoy a high prestige and position. From an institution, it has moved, towards companionship.