--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My formative years would be in South…" description: "\"My formative years would be in South Central Los Angeles. It was a really volatile environment, but, I always say, when you're living in the hood, you ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/john-singleton-15832_day_my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-cen_2903873.jpg" --- # My formative years would be in South Central Los Angeles… ![“My formative years would be in South Central Los Angeles. It was a really volatile environment, but, I always say, when you're living in the hood, you don't live this life where you're crying every day, downtrodden every day.” quote by John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/john-singleton-15832_day_my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-cen_2903873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/john-singleton-15832_day_my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-cen_2903873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/john-singleton-15832_day_my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-cen_2903873.jpg) > “My formative years would be in South Central Los Angeles. It was a really volatile environment, but, I always say, when you're living in the hood, you don't live this life where you're crying every day, downtrodden every day.” [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living in a tough environment, survival requires resilience, not constant sorrow. **In simple terms:** Hood life demands resilience. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner strength. Themes resilience environment survival Mood hopeful serious Type sociological empathetic When to use this quote - urban upbringing - mental health - community support Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can communities support each other? - What resources aid resilience? A Different Perspective Not everyone can overcome systemic barriers alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Formative years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formative-years/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) ## Related quotes > [On a personal note, I used to work for years out on South Beach, running security in nightclubs and doing bodyguard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montel-vontavious-porter/on-a-personal-note-i-used-to-work-for-years-out-on-south-beach/) [Montel Vontavious Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montel-vontavious-porter/) > [When you watch movies and you see people cry from happiness, I've never cried from happiness before in my life. So when I'm crying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-edwards/when-you-watch-movies-and-you-see-people-cry-from-happiness-i-ve/) [Leon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-edwards/) > [Life is not always going right, I guess I have grown enough and strong enough to face things in my own, but now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-voice/life-is-not-always-going-right-i-guess-i-have-grown-enough-and-strong/) NO VOICE > [If only tears could heal the pain I'm feeling right now, I'll spend my whole life crying cause I know I'll stay in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-only-tears-could-heal-the-pain-i-m-feeling-right-now-i-ll-spend-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you must cry, cry like a child. You were once a child, and one of the first things you learned in life was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-must-cry-cry-like-a-child-you-were-once-a-child-and-one-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is not about crying over things you wanted, but can never be yours. It's about wiping your tears and then creating ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-mustafa/life-is-not-about-crying-over-things-you-wanted-but-can-never-be/) [Farah Mustafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-mustafa/) > [It's okay to cry when you're going through a hard situation, but you can't spend the rest of your life crying, so wipe your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-okay-to-cry-when-you-re-going-through-a-hard-situation-but-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just can't do it no more.3 of my close friends kill them self last weekend bc the pain in life.I been so down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabby/i-just-can-t-do-it-no-more-3-of-my-close-friends-kill-them-self-last/) [Tabby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabby/) > [I'd spent half of my life crying, the other half refusing to cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-izzo/i-d-spent-half-of-my-life-crying-the-other-half-refusing-to-cry/) [Jean-Claude Izzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-izzo/) > [There are people who are dancing through Life and others who are crying through Life. The irony is that Life is the same, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/there-are-people-who-are-dancing-through-life-and-others-who-are/) RVM > [Listen to life, and you will hear the voice of life crying, Be!.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dillet-freeman/listen-to-life-and-you-will-hear-the-voice-of-life-crying-be/) [James Dillet Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dillet-freeman/) > [Everybody goes through things in life, while you're crying over spilled milk someone is taking their last breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-goes-through-things-in-life-while-you-re-crying-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I sit by the bed with an aching back, and start to cry as I pick up the notebook. I am tired now, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-sit-by-the-bed-with-an-aching-back-and-start-to-cry-as-i-pick-up/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [In your formative years what you see really shapes so much of who you're going to become and so many of the things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-debose/in-your-formative-years-what-you-see-really-shapes-so-much-of-who-you/) [Ariana DeBose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-debose/) > [During our formative years, it was all about, 'What did Metallica do?' and 'How do we do that?' and then you try and find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/synyster-gates/during-our-formative-years-it-was-all-about-what-did-metallica-do-and/) [Synyster Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/synyster-gates/) ## More by John Singleton > [I've got passion, and for people who don't, I make them see how trite their lives are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-ve-got-passion-and-for-people-who-don-t-i-make-them-see-how-trite/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [You can only really write about what you know about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/you-can-only-really-write-about-what-you-know-about/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [The plain truth is, 'Fruitvale Station' was made totally outside the Hollywood studio system, and every ounce of the picture feels authentic. The lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/the-plain-truth-is-fruitvale-station-was-made-totally-outside-the/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [There's this guy: his name, Sedik Ali. He's like the African Kurosawa. You know how Kurosawa does stuff from feudal Japan? This guy does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/there-s-this-guy-his-name-sedik-ali-he-s-like-the-african-kurosawa/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [I just try to make the best film possible, and once the movie's done, we deal with the DVD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-just-try-to-make-the-best-film-possible-and-once-the-movie-s-done/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [The more people who see a film, the more life it has. But I don't like when people watch DVDs and look at two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/the-more-people-who-see-a-film-the-more-life-it-has-but-i-don-t-like/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [I already have legitimacy as a filmmaker and now I'm trying to do stuff that's just fun. Until I find a cool tangible subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-already-have-legitimacy-as-a-filmmaker-and-now-i-m-trying-to-do/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [I've become more relaxed. When I was younger, I had more erratic, nervous tension when I was working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-ve-become-more-relaxed-when-i-was-younger-i-had-more-erratic/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [There's hardly any precedent for a guy like me to have the career that I've had. Because I grew up the way I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/there-s-hardly-any-precedent-for-a-guy-like-me-to-have-the-career/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [I'm not a Beverly Hills dude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-m-not-a-beverly-hills-dude/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [One of the biggest regrets of my whole career was turning down an offer to direct on the first season of 'The Wire.' That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/one-of-the-biggest-regrets-of-my-whole-career-was-turning-down-an/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [I make notes about things I see in films that really affect me, like the ending of 'Jules and Jim.' I think about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-make-notes-about-things-i-see-in-films-that-really-affect-me-like/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [As a storyteller, when you see somebody who is the character you envisioned, you feel this energy in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/as-a-storyteller-when-you-see-somebody-who-is-the-character-you/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [Because, if I'm honest, people in the white world might be appalled, but in the black world, they're making myths out of me. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/because-if-i-m-honest-people-in-the-white-world-might-be-appalled-but/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) > [I met Tupac through Queen Latifah in New York at this party that we were at, at a place downtown called Big City Diner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/i-met-tupac-through-queen-latifah-in-new-york-at-this-party-that-we/) [John Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) [Explore all 41 John Singleton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/) ## More Day quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/) [Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/) > [One day I woke up and Juventus wanted me, another Manchester United and what I know is that there were approaches made. But an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-jimenez/one-day-i-woke-up-and-juventus-wanted-me-another-manchester-united/) [Raul Jimenez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-jimenez/) > [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [For 11 straight years, I woke up pretty much every single day with nothing to do unless I created something to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rife/for-11-straight-years-i-woke-up-pretty-much-every-single-day-with/) [Matt Rife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rife/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/) [Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/) > [You can't cheat comedy. You know, it either is going to be there on the day you capture or it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/you-can-t-cheat-comedy-you-know-it-either-is-going-to-be-there-on-the/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) [Browse all 18,587 Day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My formative years would be in South Central Los Angeles. It was a really volatile environment, but, I always say, when you're living in the hood, you don't live this life where you're crying every day, downtrodden every day.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Singleton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-central-los-angeles-it-was-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Day" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-central-los-angeles-it-was-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/john-singleton-15832_day_my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-cen_2903873.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/john-singleton-15832_day_my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-cen_2903873.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aaa/john-singleton-15832_day_my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-cen_2903873.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My formative years would be in South Central Los Angeles. It was a really volatile environment, but, I…” — John Singleton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Singleton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-singleton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My formative years would be in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-central-los-angeles-it-was-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-singleton/my-formative-years-would-be-in-south-central-los-angeles-it-was-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```