The idea of men as millions of nameless, faceless cogs pervades twentieth century literature; and the nature of modern housing reflects this image: the homogeneous and undifferentiated nature of modern cities tends to preclude variety of life styles and the growth of individual character. Although many life-styles may go to make up a city, and at first the heterogeneous character of this suggests richness, in fact people are often mixed together, irrespective of their life-style and culture. This dampens any significant variety, arrests possibilities for differentiation and encourages conformity. It tends to reduce all life styles to a common denominator. What appears heterogeneous often turns out to be homogeneous and dull. The vast majority of modern housing has the touch of mass-production: adjacent apartments are identical; adjacent houses are often identical; and vast office buildings also throw a uniform character over people's lives.