Sunday, January 29, 2012
New Insights
My insight into the "California Dream" previously had been limited to the opinions of those who had successfully found their dreams within the cities and suburbs of California. I still believe that the California Dream comes to those who have realistic views of what the "California Dream" means and are willing to work for it, or it comes to those who are extremely lucky. Although I had listened to various songs and had read many books and articles on the misery that follow the lost expectations of the California Dream, I hadn't connected how prevalent this idea of the "California Dream" after the start of migrations into California till even in the present.
Gladys Knight's song "Midnight Train to Georgia" revealed to me the expectations that most have when going into Los Angeles and the feelings that occur after realizing that they cannot handle the challenges California poses. Her song pointed out to me the reasoning behind most peoples' decisions in leaving family and traditions to come to a foreign place that may not even grant a person what they hoped for. Before this song, I hadn't asked myself: What does a person do if they don't find their "California Dream"? Those I had talked to about the "California Dream" still found hope within it even if not all of their expectations were met, so it wasn't until analytically evaluating this song that I came across the idea of a person being fully dissatisfied with what California had to offer. I feel like the purpose of this song is not only to refute the "California Dream", but also to point out a problem prevalent and relatable to most who arrive in California with expectations of wealth and fame.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
"Midnight Train to Georgia"
by Gladys Knight and The Pips
"L.A. proved too much for the man,
So he's leavin' the life he's come to know,
He said he's goin' back to find
Ooh, what's left of his world,
The world he left behind
Not so long ago.
He's leaving,
On that midnight train to Georgia,
And he's goin' back
To a simpler place and time.
And I'll be with him
On that midnight train to Georgia,
I'd rather live in his world
Than live without him in mine.
He kept dreamin'
That someday he'd be a star.
But he sure found out the hard way
That dreams don't always come true.
So he pawned all his hopes
and he even sold his old car
Bought a one way ticket
To the life he once knew,
Oh yes he did,
He said he would
Be leavin
On that midnight train to Georgia,
And he's goin' back
To a simpler place and time.
And I'll be with him
On that midnight train to Georgia,
I'd rather live in his world
Than live without him in mine.
Go, gonna board, gonna board,
Gonna board the midnight train.
Gotta go, gonna board
Gonna board
Gonna board the midnight train
"
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
My California Dream
Living in Orange County, I have been surrounded by the idea of the "California Dream" my whole life. During my childhood, my parents would tell me about their own experiences in moving to California. At this point, the dream that had been prevalent around me is that of my parents which had been filled with dreams of opportunities for the younger generation and themselves: a vast job market, a large university network, and a safe suburbia. Both of my parents came to California in the 1970s--one from chilly New York and the other from Japan--with the dream in mind. My Dad was drawn in by the environment--the promises of grand national parks and beaches, constant sunny weather, fresh air--that he couldn't find in Queens. Coming from a country that didn't have a vast amount of career choices for women, my Mom arrived in Fullerton, California with visions of a future filled with any opportunity she desired as long as she worked assiduously toward her goals.
Suburban neighborhood in Irvine, California |
University of California logo |
With time and new generational views, the "California Dream" is constantly changing, and although it may not be the dream of the older generations, it continues to contain hope and opportunity for those willing to strive for it. The dream is relative for each person and what each person is searching for, and I continue to see California as a paradise that offers opportunities unlike anywhere else. Here in California, I can study a career in engineering with a pool of diverse people in pleasant weather. I have the opportunity to explore large multi-cultural city communities as well as to travel back to peaceful suburbia to relax. Although living in California poses challenges, I still find more pros than cons, making my "California Dream" come alive.
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