A Truth Behind Positive Beliefs Of Los Angeles Critical Thinking

People think of Los Angeles, CA as an entertainment city in which people are pursuing their dreams and people can immerse themselves in film or music industries. To some it is a city in which opportunity lies around every corner and within every longing look that can be leveled at anyone that will pay attention. Along with that, people have beliefs that those who reside in L.A. and therefore know the city are a great deal more supportive; moreover, they do not feel lonely or alone.
Since L.A. is one of the most famous areas in the world, a great number of books and songs concerning the life and culture within the city have been released. In a very famous song, Under the Bridge, performed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the idea is to show people who were born and raised in L.A. and how the negative aspects of L.A. have affected their lives. In addition to the song, a text, The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury, deals with the loneliness of L.A., which differs from the more glamorous stereotypes of L.A. that people tend to aspire to. What is not known about a hidden truth of L.A. is that the city of angels is a desolate place in which people feel isolated and nothing ever really changes for the better.
People believe that L.A. contains positive strengths in ethnic diversity, business and entertainment, which are powers that gather people. In stark contrast however it is increasingly difficult to find someone collaborative in L.A. In the song Under the Bridge, the sadness of a person who lives in L.A. and loves L.A. is described.

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t have a partner

Sometimes I feel like my only friend, is the city I live in
The city of angels
Lonely as I am
Together we cry.”
L.A. is an extremely diverse city where people from different places with vastly different cultures come together in a large, often volatile mix. Somehow it is believed that people in L.A. are friendly and they never make other people feel isolated or unwelcome. It might be said that the lyrics within the aforementioned song are exaggerating the emotions this person is experiencing and it is not a chronic sadness that is felt, but a temporary emotional crisis that will soon pass. People also might think that the lyrics are attempting to manipulate the listener into letting them believe that L.A. is not a fascinating city. There is an inherent disassociation within music and literature that is expertly woven into the fabric of L.A. and its overall culture, one that ensnares the hopeful and lures those who wish for big money and easy living. What normally happens however is that dreams tend to pop like soap bubbles once the reality sets in, and the vast majority of those seeking their dreams fall woefully short.
Very few ever realize that the glamorous jobs and extravagant dreams they have elected to pursue are incredibly competitive. Because of this they tend to focus on what they need to do in order to accomplish their dreams and tend to end up avoiding other people. People wanting to achieve their goals are likely to think of other people who have the same dreams as rivals or competitors, so they sometimes hate each other instead of trying to cooperate with one another. The more unwilling people are to help each other, the easier it is for them to be isolated. Consequently, they become alone even the time when they need someone who leads them to their goals. Hence, L.A. is a sad, desolate city where isolation is exceedingly easy despite each person being forced to interact with perhaps hundreds or more people per day.
Similarly, in the text, “The Pedestrian,” in a book “Writing Los Angeles A Literary Anthology,” the author, Ray Bradbury mentions, “The street was silent and long and empty, with only his shadow moving like the shadow of a hawk in mid-country.” (371). It appears that Bradbury implied that there was no one who helped him and he was the only person who could help him. Compared to the song by Red Hot Chili Peppers, the tone of the sentence seems to more strongly control people to emphasize the loneliness of L.A. The reason is that the element of sadness is depicted using an animal that moves so fast.
It can be said that both song and text are associated with people solving difficult problems that they must face and that are considerably challenging to cope with. Furthermore, Bradbury provides another hint of sadness by going on to say, “In ten years of walking by night or day, for thousands of miles, he had never met another person walking, not one in all that time.” (371).
The word ‘walking’ seems to consist of the inference of managing to achieve their goals, so this statement conveys the fact that this person had been alone for a long time without anyone helping him. From the passage, it is clear to say that L.A. can be depicted as a lonely city where people struggle to find someone eager to help them.
Considering how diverse and entertaining L.A. is, people are likely to believe that people in L.A. are friendly and willing to support whoever needs help. However, what people are not aware of regarding a negative aspect of L.A. is that this is a city that seems to feed on the loneliness of those who either can’t or won’t reach out to others. If people in L.A were as supportive as expected, this city would become a metropolis that could quite possibly contain massive impacts on fields such as technology, business, education, and entertainment of all types all over the world. In fact given that it is the Mecca of entertainment already, it is surprising that when all the glam and glitz is taken away, Los Angeles is quite honestly a dust bowl of a city, little better than any sprawling accumulation of buildings anywhere else within the deserts of California. Aside from its glamour, L.A. is little more than a painted lady, relying on what is outside, to accommodate for what lacks beneath the surface.

Work Cited

Bradbury, Ray. "The Pedestrian." Writing Los Angeles. Ed. David L. Ulin. New York: Library of America, 2002. 371. Print.
Red Hot Chili Peppers. “Under the Bridge.” Blood Sugar Sex Magik. CD. Warner Brothers.
March 10, 1992.