Face-to-face walking was the only communication medium in preindustrial cities
Evidence
Walking was undoubtedly the most constant of activities. Only the rich could afford litters or horses and although many working people had access to carts, in the narrow streets and alleys they were probably more of an impediment than a convenience. No telephones, telegraphs, or regular postal services sped messages across space. If one had anything to say to anyone, one went to see him. — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 215
Categorization
Category: Causal Relationships
- XREF: Directly relevant to the flâneur question - preindustrial walking was instrumental necessity, not leisured observation; distinguishes the flâneur’s era.
Related
- Pre-telegraph urban communication required physical walking to deliver messages (similarity 0.90)
- Walking dominated preindustrial urban life because communication and supplies required physical presence (similarity 0.79)
- Mass communication systems and the automobile reduced the necessity of urban walking (similarity 0.78)