The song "Hotel California" can be seen as a critique of the darker side of the American Dream — how the pursuit of wealth and success can ultimately leave people feeling hollow. The luxurious hotel is filled with people who have seemingly achieved their dreams, yet they are stuck in a cycle of superficiality.

The line: "They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast" suggests the futility of trying to escape the consequences of their choices, as they remain trapped in their pursuit of superficial happiness.

"Mirrors on the ceiling, the pink champagne on ice

And she said, 'We are all just prisoners here of our own device'

And in the master's chambers, they gathered for the feast

They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast" — "Hotel California" by the Eagles