Landscape Essay: Beholding Eye Landscape

            Being a Pennsylvania native, born and raised just one hour outside of the iconic city of Philadelphia, the location has always been a keystone throughout my life. It is the epicenter of the entire state and the primary place to see concerts, sports, etc. However, it is also a very controversial landscape in the United States, especially depending on who you ask in other states across the country. There’s nearly an infinite number of ways one could view the city of Philadelphia. Some may see it as the “City of Brotherly Love”, but others may claim that it is a dirty, corrupt, or just a dangerous place overall.

            Personally, when I think of Philadelphia it reminds me of great and memorable nights for the sporting events and endless new places to explore. I am aware of the dangers of the city of Philadelphia; however, it is also hard to ignore the immense culture and hospitality of the city that many do not see. Many businesses in the city are small/family owned, building a great community in several locations throughout Philadelphia that often bring people together. In my experience I have found myself to cautiously love the city of Philadelphia for all it has to offer despite its glaring safety problems throughout.

            A citizen of Philadelphia would likely view the city differently to me, however, one’s view of the city greatly depends on the part of the city they were born in. For example, a southern Philadelphian will likely take more pride in the city as that is where many attractions and more developed areas lie. There is so much to love about the city, but a lot of it is in the southern area of Philadelphia. The lack of violence and corruption in this part of town would likely lead those raised here to have more pride in the city. On the other hand, someone born in Kensington or the northern Philadelphia area in general may view the city with much more disdain. There is an unbelievable drug crisis paired with violence that makes these areas terrifying to many to even visit. Living there is a whole other story. Being surrounded with so much negativity every day would likely taint anyone’s view of the city as a whole.

            Another pair of perspectives that likely differ when it comes to their views of Philadelphia would be a foreigner that despises the city and a foreigner that admires the city. Many citizens of other big cities throughout the country may have a competitive hate towards Philadelphia due to a branded theme of hostility that has been placed among the citizens. However, many people across the countries could likely appreciate the beauty and culture of Philadelphia and admire it for those reasons.