Most of human history was lived in small worlds lacking anonymity

Evidence

To large numbers of contemporary humans, there is nothing peculiar in the situation of living out one’s life amid persons one does not know. In an urban, urbanizing, and increasingly crowded world, this state of affairs is expected and tolerated, if not always appreciated. But to large numbers of other humans-some now living, most long deceasedthis state of affairs would appear very peculiar indeed. For throughout a major part of human history (and prehistory), in most times and most places, men and women have lived out their lives not in great cities or urban sprawls, but in small and isolated worlds-in bands or tribes or villages or towns. However varied the human condition in these little worlds-and it varied enormously-they shared one crucial characteristic: the absence of anonymity. Their peoples were born and reared, they reached adulthood and married, propagated, grew old and died, surrounded always and almost exclusively by persons who knew them and who were known to them. — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 39

Categorization

• XREF: Anonymity as a historical novelty (not the human default) is the baseline against which Simmel’s blasé attitude emerges as a modern adaptation—useful framing for the reader’s cross-reading. — connects to: Industrial urbanization destroyed appearance as a reliable clue to strangers’ identities; Even literate ancient peoples suspected strangers might not be fully human; Industrialization shifted urban stranger-identification from dress to location (+3 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 39

Broader Connections

• Industrialization shifted urban stranger-identification from dress to location #expands (0.85)
• Local place-based relations gave pre-modern communities solidity #corroborates (0.85) — Anthony Giddens, The Consequences of Modernity, 247
• Industrial urbanization destroyed appearance as a reliable clue to strangers’ identities #expands (0.70)
• Even literate ancient peoples suspected strangers might not be fully human #exemplifies (0.60)