[Alto2548]

Only good thing about this article is that it may keep left-wingers from moving here!

[npwalters]

reading that drivel is several minutes of my life I'd like to have back

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by jerryss

Here is the article copied to an open web site, minus the photos. Please read it, and judge for yourself.

The ‘Disney’ for Boomers Puts Hedonism on Full Display

Opinion | The ‘Disney’ for Boomers Puts Hedonism on Full Display - News-Universe

I read The NY Times daily, but I usually don’t read the author of this opinion piece because I disagree with her left wing politics and get annoyed. In general, however, this piece is pretty accurate. If you read it with an open mind and actually live here, you would probably think the same. Here are a couple thought-provoking paragraphs:

“But the parades and games and clubs, most definitely the political ones, also give people a sense of belonging and purpose — of still being able to make a difference. Whatever their ideological persuasion, residents are constantly reminded that civic engagement matters. That they matter. Like at all retirement communities, the social life at the Villages tackles head-on the scourges of isolation, despair and loneliness that are eating away at so many Americans as the nation’s social fabric frays. In a culture that can feel as though it is leaving seniors behind, the Villages is designed to bring people together. And despite the at times harrowing political warfare, the community largely succeeds in doing so — even if it isn’t always easy.”

“Surrounded by people at a similar life stage, many with similar values, Villagers can maintain a distance from the demographic and cultural changes reshaping the nation and from many of its more intractable problems. Crime, inequality, homelessness, climate change, racial strife, the high cost of child care and college — these are challenges for other communities to grapple with. Other generations even. Big Government is eyed with skepticism, even as the aging populace commands an increasingly larger chunk of the federal budget for programs such as Social Security and Medicare. So long as taxes stay low and the golf courses stay open, Villagers can stay focused on living the dream. They have earned this retreat, dammit. The escapism is the point. And escapism, by definition, means separating oneself from unsettling trends and people.”

These are reasons I love it here.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by ChicagoNative

Pfft, indeed. A wolf in sheeps clothing article that manages to mention every cherry-picked fault, negative stereotype, and even gives a nod to the other hit piece movie about TV, while they try to “white shame” the community about being out of touch with reality.

F the NYT.

You nailed it.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Ummm. Maybe read between the lines?

Very true. Typical nyt article.

Fair and balanced is not part of their vocabulary

[coconutmama]

Originally Posted by Karadad

Opinion | At '''the Villages,''' the Party Never Ends for Boomers - The New York Times

I thought the article was basically true. Most of the author’s observations, good & bad, I have seen myself. The summary was not political. It was that we want the opportunity to enjoy the time we have left.

As another post noted, the STD bit should not have been included. That would be my main criticism

[Swoop]

Originally Posted by coconutmama

I thought the article was basically true. Most of the author’s observations, good & bad, I have seen myself. The summary was not political. It was that we want the opportunity to enjoy the time we have left.

As another post noted, the STD bit should not have been included. That would be my main criticism

Seriously? Virtually every paragraph has a political reference. Try reading it again.

[RPDaly]

Originally Posted by coconutmama

I thought the article was basically true. Most of the author’s observations, good & bad, I have seen myself. The summary was not political. It was that we want the opportunity to enjoy the time we have left.

As another post noted, the STD bit should not have been included. That would be my main criticism

Exactly. People come here to enjoy the end of their lives in a comfortable, stress free non-confrontational environment. They all have been through enough of that by this time in their lives. Call it wax nostalgic or going back to a time in America now vanquished and to many of us were this countries best years but no one should be shamed for wanting it

[celiarw]

Originally Posted by vb993

Here it is.

Thank you for allowing us to actually read the article!

[eremite06]

Originally Posted by chicagonative

pfft, indeed. A wolf in sheeps clothing article that manages to mention every cherry-picked fault, negative stereotype, and even gives a nod to the other hit piece movie about tv, while they try to “white shame” the community about being out of touch with reality.

F the nyt.

ditto.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

I read The NY Times daily, but I usually don’t read the author of this opinion piece because I disagree with her left wing politics and get annoyed. In general, however, this piece is pretty accurate. If you read it with an open mind and actually live here, you would probably think the same. Here are a couple thought-provoking paragraphs:

“But the parades and games and clubs, most definitely the political ones, also give people a sense of belonging and purpose — of still being able to make a difference. Whatever their ideological persuasion, residents are constantly reminded that civic engagement matters. That they matter. Like at all retirement communities, the social life at the Villages tackles head-on the scourges of isolation, despair and loneliness that are eating away at so many Americans as the nation’s social fabric frays. In a culture that can feel as though it is leaving seniors behind, the Villages is designed to bring people together. And despite the at times harrowing political warfare, the community largely succeeds in doing so — even if it isn’t always easy.”

“Surrounded by people at a similar life stage, many with similar values, Villagers can maintain a distance from the demographic and cultural changes reshaping the nation and from many of its more intractable problems. Crime, inequality, homelessness, climate change, racial strife, the high cost of child care and college — these are challenges for other communities to grapple with. Other generations even. Big Government is eyed with skepticism, even as the aging populace commands an increasingly larger chunk of the federal budget for programs such as Social Security and Medicare. So long as taxes stay low and the golf courses stay open, Villagers can stay focused on living the dream. They have earned this retreat, dammit. The escapism is the point. And escapism, by definition, means separating oneself from unsettling trends and people.”

These are reasons I love it here.

We can't opt out of world problems. Because when we decide to vote, that has an influence on the direction of the world. People CAN ignore world problems, but that will not make them go away.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by RPDaly

Exactly. People come here to enjoy the end of their lives in a comfortable, stress free non-confrontational environment. They all have been through enough of that by this time in their lives. Call it wax nostalgic or going back to a time in America now vanquished and to many of us were this countries best years but no one should be shamed for wanting it

Those were the best years. The US had a large middle class - good years for the middle class. Today we have good years for the upper, upper, upper class. How and why did that change. The Village is a great place to ask and answer that question. Maybe there should be more articles about The Village, not less. It would be nice if social scientists from different Universities would come and study the people here. It might answer where and when America was great and how to best return to that overall (not perfect) time period when the middle class was dominate.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Swoop

For those of you who can’t access the article, let me summarize it for you:
The only thing people in The Villages want to talk about is politics and we love Trump. We are fixated on golf carts, we like to trick them out and drive them in political parades and we love Trump. We are alcoholics and we like to drive our golf carts drunk, that’s why there are so many accidents, and we love Trump. We like to have sex in our golf carts and everywhere else, that’s why we have the highest STD rate, and we love Trump. We are white, therefore we are out of touch with the rest of the USA and we love Trump. There are some democrats in The Villages, but they are good people and are always harassed by Trump supporters.
That pretty much sums it up…

Wow that wasn't my takeaway at all. But if the shoe fits...

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Wow that wasn't my takeaway at all. But if the shoe fits...

LOL! S/he "swooped" right down into that one!

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by thecinks1@gmail.com

Hey moderators,
If you don't label this as "political", you're wrong!

I think the board may have been lost to the political crazies………….