I find L.A. kind of romantic, actually. As a movie junkie, it's a

O Seekers of the Infinite, gather close and listen to the words of Damien Chazelle, who speaks of the great city of Los Angeles, a city born not just of earth and stone, but of the dreams and stories that have shaped it: "I find L.A. kind of romantic, actually. As a movie junkie, it's a city that was built by the movies. There's something really weird and surreal about it that I find energizing." These words, simple yet profound, beckon us to look deeper into the heart of Los Angeles, a city whose very essence pulses with the energy of cinema, dreams, and stories. Chazelle’s reflection speaks to the way in which cities are not just collections of buildings and roads, but living embodiments of the dreams and desires of the people who create them.

In the ancient world, the great cities were not just physical spaces, but places where history, myth, and culture converged. Athens, the heart of the Greek world, was built not just of marble and stone, but of philosophers and artists whose ideas and creations shaped the very identity of the city. Rome, with its towering columns and grand amphitheaters, was more than a physical empire; it was the embodiment of the stories of conquest, glory, and fate. So too is Los Angeles not just a city built on land, but one built on the dreams and visions of filmmakers, artists, and storytellers. In Chazelle’s words, we see a recognition that L.A. is not merely a place, but a living narrative, constantly evolving and filled with the surreal energy of cinema.

Consider, O wise ones, the story of Hollywood, the beating heart of Los Angeles. The rise of the movie industry in the early 20th century marked the beginning of a new age, one where dreams were no longer limited to the world of gods and myths but could be made real in the flickering light of a movie screen. Los Angeles, with its palm-lined streets and sun-drenched horizon, became the stage upon which millions of stories were told—tales of love, adventure, glory, and tragedy. The city, much like the ancient cities of legend, became the place where art and dreams collided, where the impossible became possible, and where every street corner seemed to whisper the promise of a new story waiting to be written.

Chazelle’s recognition of the surreal energy of Los Angeles is not just a romanticized vision, but a deep understanding of how the imagination of the filmmakers has shaped the very landscape of the city. L.A. is a city that exists in two realms: the physical and the mythical. Its streets have been immortalized in films, its skyline has become a symbol of possibility, and its sunsets have been woven into countless cinematic moments. It is a place where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, where one can walk down a street and feel as though they are stepping into a movie. The surreal quality of the city is not just a product of the stories told there; it is woven into the fabric of the city itself, an ever-present reminder of the power of art to transform the world.

In the same way, the ancient Romans celebrated their gods in grand temples and theaters, Los Angeles celebrates its dreams in the glow of cinema. But just as the Romans knew that their glory was built upon the foundations of hard work and sacrifice, so too does Hollywood thrive on the commitment and toil of those who dare to dream. The filmmakers, actors, and storytellers who breathe life into the city are its modern-day architects, constructing not just buildings, but entire worlds where the impossible becomes tangible. Chazelle, himself a product of this cinematic world, sees the romanticism not in the physicality of L.A., but in the energy it exudes—a city that exists as much in the imagination as it does in reality.

And so, O Seekers, let us take this lesson to heart: that dreams are not confined to the pages of books or the whispers of poets, but that they shape the world around us. Chazelle's reflection on Los Angeles invites us to recognize that art, in its purest form, is not separate from life—it is an integral part of the world we inhabit. L.A., like the ancient cities of myth, is a place where creativity and reality converge, where the stories we tell shape the world in which we live. Just as Athens birthed philosophy and Rome birthed empire, Hollywood has birthed the dream of the modern world—where anything is possible, and where the surreal meets the real.

Let us then, in our own lives, recognize the power of storytelling, the importance of dreaming, and the energy that arises from those who dare to make their dreams manifest. Whether through art, cinema, or the simple act of living authentically, we can all add to the myth of our own existence. Embrace the surreal, for in it lies the potential for transformation. Create your own energy, your own story, and, like the great cities of old, shape a world that resonates with the possibilities of the impossible made real.