I feel the same way. I was never smitten by the "kool-aide". Just saw with my own two eyes how gorgeous this place is and the super friendly people that live here.

I READ a lot more negative things here and other places than I HEAR from people who live here. I only rarely hear complaints, except about drivers who don’t use turn signals annd don’t know how to use roundabouts and things like that. I love it here, after purchasing three years ago, and so do most of the people I know. I don’t recall anyone here telling me that moving here was a mistake.

However, when I tell people elsewhere where I live, usually the first thing people mention is the high rate of STDs. What utter nonsense! Yet that is what the media tells people because it keeps people watching through the next advertisement. Never mind that it is false. You’ll have to live with it. Just tell people it’s libel and slander and not at all like that. People are quick to believe lies these days. Fortunately, it’s also easier to do fact-checking and find out the truth.

Forbes has always sucked, professionals no longer read that rag

What are the "real bad" aspects of living here? I am curious to see what you think is so bad about this community.

Interesting perspective, for sure.

With all the negatives about TV circulating out there, you'd think people would be avoiding the place like the plague. Instead, TV is far and away the largest retirement community not only in America but in the world, and growth continues unabated. There are retirees here from all 50 states as well as many foreign countries. There are well over 4,000 foreign nationals living here: we've met people from the UK, Ireland, France, Canada, Italy, The Philippines, Thailand, and Chile, and will probably meet many more.

So--just think of how fast this place would be growing if only the POSITIVES were included in media and word-of-mouth.

Absolutely! If they want to believe the crap they read in the wild west of journalism, and the won't believe someone who actually lives there, and the more the cognitive dissonance you create, the harder they will back their beliefs, (human bias 101) you might as well play up their beliefs to the absurd . .

my similar post might have been a bit more crude, but just just human psychology, people have inertia and the same with information bias, so go with it.

Doesn't matter what you believe or that you have actual experience, it's about how they look at their world, and how they are now being proven idiots for believing some conspiracy theory. . . and you now know that they are particularly gullible so play it up!~

near future former corporate guy

Several people I've met or read about are here because someone told them about The Villages on a cruise. I think it's a surprising number.

Great reply

S.T.D. ? Yep, stands for “Stuff To Do’….. yes, there’s lots of that!!!

First of all YES I have faced that everywhere I go. This is not personal just due to the bad publicity, written and on videos. The villages has a bad reputation if you read these articles and watch those videos. Before I left Illinois to come back in Oct after my 5 month summer break, a lady said "the villages is a terrible place." How awful. It's a losing proposition unless they visit or move here. My one caveat is the word "bubble". I hate that word when referring to the villages!

I started coming here as a guest of friends up north, who bought in Largo when Largo was brand new. This was in 2007 (or so). I had seen ads for TV, (on TV), and had formed an image from the ads of basically a trailer park with a 9 hole golf course. However, when I drove up Morse from 466A, up to Largo, and saw the Havana golf course on either side, I was immediately impressed.

We visited a few more times as retirement approached, and when it did arrive we started to snowbird. One thing that struck me about living here long term is that it is really set up as a place to live, not as a resort.

I think that people who've come for a few days, and then move here, may often go through a phase of realization that life is life, and life is not vacation. You still have to buy groceries, and you get sick, and stuff breaks and you have to fix it and you have bills, maybe you miss the kids, or the grandkids, etc. Vacation is about leaving all of the heavy baggage of life at home for a few days. Life is about dragging it around with you. It follows us from wherever we come.

In a few, a relatively small number, some find that disenchanting, and blame it on the wearing off of the Kool-Ade, but most recognize that life is life, and TV is a pretty good place to live it, even if it isn't perfect.

As far as STDs, I tell people that in my experience, unless you can catch one playing cards or pickleball, it's a lot more work to get an STD than it is to avoid one.

One Word.................Ignorance.

Two Words...............Who Cares.

Realist
 

The reality is that there are many good things about the Villages and many bad. That’s reality. Golf cart accessible, lots to do and low assessments compared to many places in Florida.

Downside is the hyped up theatrical stuff. Grown adults trying to pretend they are belly dancers, hula dancers, twirlers, ballet dancers etc. Many just don’t realize how foolish they look but sadly they need to play all over the villages thinking they are stars. Theater productions are a little ridiculous too. Old people playing parts in West side story and grease??? Really? But if we want good theater we go to Orlando and we try to ignore the poor wannabes who need attention. It’s a small price to pay when you get so many other benefits.

I cannot understand why anyone would say anything negative to anyone about where one lives unless they are trying to make the person feel bad. It is rude to downplay a person’s lifestyle or way of living unless it is hurting that person. The Villages is a lovely place to live. Please do not let these spoilers burst your bubble or ruin your party. They sound like they are miserable.

I would simply stay at that. It’s only as good as each person makes it. It’s the same no matter where anyone lives. We just have some extra opportunities to make it great.