Individualism in the city vs in the country

I wonder if people in the city are more or less individualistic than those who live in smaller towns in the country.

This struck me as I stepped off the train onto the platform and automatically moved into line following all the people getting off the platform. There was a whole wide platform to walk on, but we all chose to walk pretty much in a straight line. We were all the same.

The 'city' is know for having all kinds of people in it and fostering a sense of freedom where everyone can do what they want. Especially in a place like London, they can choose from many different styles, habits, and lifestyles to live by. So the city is seen as a more individualistis place to live - I mean individualistic in the sense that you don't have to follow trends or a collective way of living and thinking, but can do your own thing in your own way.

While in the country, the small population forces people to fit in or be left out, so it is viewed as a restrictive way to live.

But in the city there are soo many times when people do the same thing, when we are just one ant in the whole army of millions, of what seem like, other identical versions. It may be following the croud at the train station, swarming to work in the morning and home at night then again to work the next morning, going out on a saturday night, making money for the sake of it, watching the same TV shows, all the same stuff that most people do - so much for doing your own thing.

In the country, a person can distance themselves from most influences which affect those in the city. There may not be any people around for miles so that person is definatley one of a kind. They can wear what they want out there, say what they want, do any sheep they want... hehe.

Then again, in the city there are more of these activity to choose from and fit into than in the country. Even though we may be 'fitting into' a way of living, there are more options. If there are times that we seem like identical speks, it is only because we are on our way to a unique end and happen to meet in the middle - as I got off the train yesterday, the person in front may have been going to dinner, while another to the park while I was off to beat someone up at training in a dodgey gym behind the station - not many poeple do that...

But still, with all this talk of freedom and individual choice of lifestyle in the city, many of us seem to just slide into a way of life which is just like everyone elses. You can also say that we are social creatures and need a sense of belonging hmmmm...