The industrial revolution of the 19th century created a commercial society that was.
Imposing cities were bursting at the seams with humanity. The.
citizens who worked and lived in these conditions developed an indifference towards the.
others that surrounded them. It is interesting that people who were forced to be so physically.
close to one another would end up being so mentally apart. Friedrich Engels, in "Barbarous.
Indifference," paints a vivid picture of the lack of compassion in the commercial capital of.
the world, London.
He begins by illustrating the enourmity of the city of London through detailed.
descriptions of the masses of industrial structures and the turmoil that inhabits the many.
streets between them. Engels wants to give the reader an image of exactly how overbearing.
the city has become. He is successful in that one gets the impression that the city itself.
envelopes all who approach it; pulling them into it's overcrowded depths. Engels also delves.
into the toll that the residents of the city have had to pay for all of the advances they made. .
He introduces the idea that it is not without sacrifice on the part of the Londoners that all of.
these "marvels of civilization" could be created. Engels states, "that a hundred powers.
which slumbered within them have remained inactive, have been suppressed in order that a.
few might be developed more fully and multiply through union with those of others." He.
goes on to explain that the city has created humans who rebel against their own nature by.
becoming completley insular. Humans, by nature, are social beings who inherently seek out.
others. Engels believes that the people of London, in general, have developed into.
self-centered organisms that only view each other as useful objects. It is only for the benfit.
of one's self that he will deal with others. Engels goes on to draw the analogy the humans.
have become atom-like. Each person completely independant with his own purpost in mind.
