The city of Johannesburg was founded in 1886, when gold was discovered in the area. Soon after, many flocked here to find work in mining and other forms of labor, as this "gold rush" boosted the economy, making it the ideal place for job opportunities. Since 1886, the city of Johannesburg has grown both physically and in terms of population. People from rural areas are constantly coming to Johannesburg in search of jobs, but this has only led to overpopulation, which has led to crime, illegal activities, urban decay and many other urban problems . Johannesburg's past, particularly apartheid, has created what this city is today. Born in 1995, I am described as “born free”, but I don’t feel free at all. Johannesburg has created in me an eternal fear and paranoia: I always watch my back and run when I hear noises at night. I cannot experience freedom like children in other countries, I cannot walk the streets, I cannot drive at night and I cannot go to most parts of my city alone because it is not sure. In this essay, I will discuss how Johannesburg shaped me by introducing the tensions between crime and materialism as well as between danger and opportunity. I will analyze and draw inspiration from the text “Lost and Found” by Mark Gevisser, the film “Material” directed by Craig Freimond as well as the poem “Johannesburg” by William Plomer in order to help you better understand how the city of Johannesburg m 'shaped. In Mark Gevisser's novel, 'Lost and Found', we learn the story of a young Jewish boy living in the affluent suburb of Sandton. He has an indescribable fascination with maps, and we learn of the many journeys he creates in his head by simply opening the telephone directory, finding...... in the middle of a paper.... ..there is nothing to do in this city because we have done and seen everything, it is monotonous. In conclusion, the city of Johannesburg has made me the person I am today. I fear everything around me because of my personal experiences as well as the statistics and things I hear on the news. From this, I learned to be very vigilant and careful wherever I go. Johannesburg made me care more about material objects than politics and current events. It's because of "the Jewish bubble" which always covers me to protect me and shelter me from my city. Parents in this bubble use it to hide the dangers of this city from their children. And finally, Johannesburg lured me into participating in illegal activities due to the lack of law. This forced me to grow up much faster than children in other cities would have...