--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Southern California, where the American…" description: "\"Southern California, where the American Dream came too true.\" — Lawrence Ferlinghetti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_american-dream_southern-california-where-the-american-d_559333.jpg" --- # Southern California, where the American Dream came too true. ![“Southern California, where the American Dream came too true.” quote by Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_american-dream_southern-california-where-the-american-d_559333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_american-dream_southern-california-where-the-american-d_559333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_american-dream_southern-california-where-the-american-d_559333.jpg) > “Southern California, where the American Dream came too true.” [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on the paradox of the American Dream becoming overly real in Southern California. **In simple terms:** Dream turned into stark reality. Key Takeaway Beware of idealizing success. Themes american dream illusion reality Mood cynical reflective Type social cultural When to use this quote - urban life - career aspirations - social commentary Key Concepts sociology culture critique Questions to Reflect On - How does the Dream affect expectations? - What are the costs of achieving it? A Different Perspective It may romanticize hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) [California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Southern california](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southern-california/) [Usa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usa/) ## Related quotes > [California must be all American or all Chinese. We are resolved that it shall be American, and are prepared to make it so. May…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-kearney/california-must-be-all-american-or-all-chinese-we-are-resolved-that/) [Denis Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-kearney/) > [California has become the first American state where there is no majority race, and we're doing just fine. If you look around the room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/california-has-become-the-first-american-state-where-there-is-no/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I speak as much Spanish as anyone who has grown up in Southern California or Texas or Arizona. I had my three years of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/i-speak-as-much-spanish-as-anyone-who-has-grown-up-in-southern/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [I'd like to be able to use Storm's powers for good, like have it rain more in Southern California. We could do with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halle-berry/i-d-like-to-be-able-to-use-storm-s-powers-for-good-like-have-it-rain/) [Halle Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halle-berry/) > [Then I left that school and I went to Cerritos College, which was in southern California; they had one of the best big band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/then-i-left-that-school-and-i-went-to-cerritos-college-which-was-in/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I'm from Southern California, so I feel much more comfortable with a golf club in my hand than I do a weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-blyleven/i-m-from-southern-california-so-i-feel-much-more-comfortable-with-a/) [Bert Blyleven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-blyleven/) > [The police had a practice of entrapping people. This was done all over the country, but we had a particularly vicious group here in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-hay/the-police-had-a-practice-of-entrapping-people-this-was-done-all-over/) [Harry Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-hay/) > [I grew up in Southern California so I was always at the beach and outdoors. I remember my dad laying around the pool baking;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-wilson/i-grew-up-in-southern-california-so-i-was-always-at-the-beach-and/) [C. J. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-wilson/) > [I grew up in Southern California, Simi Valley. I've lived in the same house all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-dolley/i-grew-up-in-southern-california-simi-valley-i-ve-lived-in-the-same/) [Jason Dolley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-dolley/) > [My parents separated before I was 1 year old. I moved in with my aunt and uncle when I was in fourth grade. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-polamalu/my-parents-separated-before-i-was-1-year-old-i-moved-in-with-my-aunt/) [Troy Polamalu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-polamalu/) > [Probably the first time I was a boss was when I was associate dean of the graduate school at the University of Southern California.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/probably-the-first-time-i-was-a-boss-was-when-i-was-associate-dean-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is Southern California but an ever-changing dreamscape backdrop for the postmodern ideal? The psychology of the postmodern world is the continual state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-van-hamersveld/what-is-southern-california-but-an-ever-changing-dreamscape-backdrop/) [John Van Hamersveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-van-hamersveld/) > [The first two pictures I did, I played a young student in prep school. When I did Lifeguard, everyone was saying, You're so Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/the-first-two-pictures-i-did-i-played-a-young-student-in-prep-school/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [From time to time the continent shifts, and everything that isn't fastened down slides into Southern California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/from-time-to-time-the-continent-shifts-and-everything-that-isn-t/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [The Urban Literate Southern California Sub-Group of the Early Atomic Period has not yet produced a distinct body of folk music of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hinton/the-urban-literate-southern-california-sub-group-of-the-early-atomic/) Sam Hinton ## More by Lawrence Ferlinghetti > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [We have to raise the consciousness; the only way poets can change the world is to raise the consciousness of the general populace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/we-have-to-raise-the-consciousness-the-only-way-poets-can-change-the/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I didn’t know that painters and writers retired. They’re like soldiers – they just fade away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-didn-t-know-that-painters-and-writers-retired-they-re-like-soldiers/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I certainly was surprised to be named Poet Laureate of this far-out city on the left side of the world, and I gratefully accept,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-certainly-was-surprised-to-be-named-poet-laureate-of-this-far-out/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Paperbacks weren't considered real books in the book trade. Up till then it was just murder mysteries, potboilers, 25-cent pocket books sold in newsstands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/paperbacks-weren-t-considered-real-books-in-the-book-trade-up-till/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Poetry is the shadow cast by our streetlight imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-is-the-shadow-cast-by-our-streetlight-imaginations/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The real literary editors have mostly been fired. Those that remain are all ottom line editors; everything depends on the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-real-literary-editors-have-mostly-been-fired-those-that-remain/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [“Cast up the heart flops over gasping 'Love' a foolish fish which tries to draw its breath from flesh of air And no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/cast-up-the-heart-flops-over-gasping-love-a-foolish-fish-which-tries/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The paintings may communicate even better because people are lazy and they can look at a painting with less effort than they can read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-paintings-may-communicate-even-better-because-people-are-lazy-and/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Poetry can change the world, just like any art can change the world, by changing consciousness. Of course this was the great slogan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-can-change-the-world-just-like-any-art-can-change-the-world-by/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [As I get older I perceive Life has its tail in its mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/as-i-get-older-i-perceive-life-has-its-tail-in-its-mouth/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Almost every truly creative being alienated & expatriated in his own country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/almost-every-truly-creative-being-alienated-expatriated-in-his-own/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The future of publishing lies with the small and medium-sized presses, because the big publishers in New York are all part of huge conglomerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-future-of-publishing-lies-with-the-small-and-medium-sized-presses/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The art has to make it on its own, without explanations, and it’s the same for poetry. If the poem or the painting has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-art-has-to-make-it-on-its-own-without-explanations-and-it-s-the/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [There is an ecstatic mechanism in birds that makes them fly upwards in spite of worms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/there-is-an-ecstatic-mechanism-in-birds-that-makes-them-fly-upwards/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) [Explore all 88 Lawrence Ferlinghetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## More American dream quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Are we a nation of guarantees or are we a nation of opportunities to achieve the American dream?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mcdonnell/are-we-a-nation-of-guarantees-or-are-we-a-nation-of-opportunities-to/) [Bob McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mcdonnell/) > [I believe keeping our promises should be our highest priority and that means saving Social Security and Medicare while preserving the American dream for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/i-believe-keeping-our-promises-should-be-our-highest-priority-and/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [Our families and our homes are the center of American life, Everything we do is to make those homes-and the lives in them-more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/our-families-and-our-homes-are-the-center-of-american-life-everything/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [I want people to know where I come from. I think I have come really far from that, and I did it on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aj-lee/i-want-people-to-know-where-i-come-from-i-think-i-have-come-really/) [AJ Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aj-lee/) > [We need to remain a nation that doesn't just welcome but that celebrates legal immigrants who come here seeking to pursue the American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/we-need-to-remain-a-nation-that-doesn-t-just-welcome-but-that/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [So many Korean Americans like me came to this country with the hope of achieving their own American Dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/so-many-korean-americans-like-me-came-to-this-country-with-the-hope/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [“Let's make no mistake about this: The American Dream starts with the neighborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/let-s-make-no-mistake-about-this-the-american-dream-starts-with-the/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [As a kid, I learned from my parents, teachers, coaches, and friends that what mattered most was Truth - to uncover it, share it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-ayyadurai/as-a-kid-i-learned-from-my-parents-teachers-coaches-and-friends-that/) [Shiva Ayyadurai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-ayyadurai/) > [Theres a zoom up in the TV screen Living cancer to our self-esteem yea Cause if this an airless beauty queen But everything aint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentinooo-c/theres-a-zoom-up-in-the-tv-screen-living-cancer-to-our-self-esteem/) Valentinooo\_c > [College is part of the American dream. It shouldnt be part of a financial nightmare for families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/college-is-part-of-the-american-dream-it-shouldnt-be-part-of-a/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I believe it from the bottom of my heart, and your sons and daughters, too, can have the American dream come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-a-ribicoff/i-believe-it-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart-and-your-sons-and-daughters/) [Abraham A. Ribicoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-a-ribicoff/) > [I dare to imagine a country where every child I hold in my hands, are all God's children, regardless of the color of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wellstone/i-dare-to-imagine-a-country-where-every-child-i-hold-in-my-hands-are/) [Paul Wellstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wellstone/) [Browse all 1,001 American dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Southern California, where the American Dream came too true.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence Ferlinghetti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/southern-california-where-the-american-dream-came-too-true/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/southern-california-where-the-american-dream-came-too-true/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_american-dream_southern-california-where-the-american-d_559333.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_american-dream_southern-california-where-the-american-d_559333.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_american-dream_southern-california-where-the-american-d_559333.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Southern California, where the American Dream came too true.” — Lawrence Ferlinghetti", "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": "Lawrence Ferlinghetti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Southern California, where the American Dream...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/southern-california-where-the-american-dream-came-too-true/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/southern-california-where-the-american-dream-came-too-true/#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 } } ] } ```