[PJackpot]

Originally Posted by J1ceasar

Very true. Trolls , golf cart accidents,drugs, sex on the square, big egos, poverty, all do happen here .

Listening to this buffoon, you would think that's all people engage in.

[DIver0258]

Originally Posted by J1ceasar

Very true. Trolls , golf cart accidents,drugs, sex on the square, big egos, poverty, all do happen here .

This can be found everywhere. Why would anyone assume The Villages would be different than any other large community. To assume that everyone loves it here is absurd. Documentary was done to promote the agenda of the film maker. I for one take what he did in stride. Yellow press sensationalism at its finest. The Villages may not be for everyone, as for our family we are thriving here. The developers have created an amazing lifestyle for those that choose to embrace it.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by La lamy

Sensationalism. Trying to buy attention. It's working.

Yes and home sales just shot up this week because of this.
Welcome Brits !

Skip

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Wing-nut2

Inside the Utopian 'Disneyland' for retirees that belies a sinister underbelly of racism, orgies, | Daily Mail Online

My first thought was to say “What utter garbage!’’ But then I read the entire article and found myself laughing. Part of it IS “utter garbage.’’ Orgies? Swingers wearing gold shoes or a single red button or a shirt label turned inside out? Really? Where are all these swingers when you need them? (Actually, I do know a handful, but they are rare and rather lonely.) Black market viagra? What? Why, when a hundred doctors will give us a prescription? A town full of drunken people? Cheap drinks? Well, so what?

As I read on, I realized that this article is actually a terrific public relations puff piece. If I read this, I would LONG to move to the villages. Oh, wait, I DID read pieces like this, and books, and I DID move here, and the reality, even though curbed at present by the virus, is even better than I had hoped. I’m having a wonderful time here! The “Daily Mail” is a British paper. I’m expecting a big influx of British people here in the next few years as a result of reading the paper. Welcome!

Racism? What’s the sense of racism when everyone already looks like you? Classism? Everyone who lives here has prospered, and hardly anyone is rich or poor. Social class comes down to whether you have a courtyard villa, a patio villa, or a home on a golf course. Ageism? Yeah, we look at the crime reports and see that it’s those young people causing most of the problems. Safety? This is the safest town of its size on earth. The article complains about rules about lawn care, but look at those photos! It’s the rules that keep The Villages looking like a resort, a place where everywhere I go I can see beauty.

Hooray for us! Maybe we come here to grow old and die, but what a way to go!

[PJackpot]

Originally Posted by rustyp

Here is the highlights from the Daily Mail article

It hasn't been the fantasy land I thought it would be': Documentary goes inside 'creepy' Florida utopia for senior citizens that it claims has sinister underbelly of racism, orgies, drunken debauchery and make-believe history
- New documentary, 'Some Kind of Heaven' explores the dark underside of America's largest retirement community known as 'The Villages' in central Florida with a notorious swingers scene
- The community was designed to be a manicured fantasy land for seniors aged 55+ ; grandchildren and visitors under the age minimum are strictly prohibited to visit for more than 30 calendar days
- It's dubbed 'the Disneyland for retirees' because the neighborhoods are designed like a theme park to imitate old town squares, complete with make-believe histories; residents say its like living in a 'bubble'
- The developers own the a TV channel, multiple radio stations and newspaper that only prints positive news
- Critics say The Villages are like a creepy Stepford cult for Baby Boomers with Orwellian-like rules that are dictated by an elusive family worth billions of dollars
- The Villages were 'designed to hide all of the problems of everyday life' says first time documentarian, Lance Oppenheim - his film follows the lives of four seniors that live on the fringe of the fantasy

What the hell is meant by "live on the fringe", anyway?

[Scbang]

I don't see it on Netflix.. Does anyone?

[dhdallas]

Originally Posted by Wing-nut2

Inside the Utopian 'Disneyland' for retirees that belies a sinister underbelly of racism, orgies, | Daily Mail Online

The point of the movie is that you will take your problems with you even if you live in a “Utopian Society”. Moving to The Villages will not magically cure your chronic depression or fears. It will not erase guilt complexes, PTSD and a myriad of psychological neuroses and problems. That is why the director went out of his way to find people who came here thinking that living in TV would cure their personal issues and they would be wondrously happy. Of course they are not typical of most of those who live here.

While I disagree with the headline you quoted I found that most of what the Daily Mail said to be true. The Villages is as fake as a two dollar bill. And the “Stepford Wives'' reference is not too far off the mark. The cookie-cutter houses with the imitation town squares remind me of a “Twilight Zone” episode in which a couple wakes up in a picture perfect town only to find it is all fake and they are living in a giant alien’s terrarium. TV is a place designed to insulate its residents from the harsh realities that exist in the world today. It is a gated & exclusive community for middle class white conservatives.

I am not anti-TV. The Villages is great for making new friends of like minds and ages. No noisy children or delinquent teenagers. Pristine surroundings. Absence of street crime. Every type of club for every interest. Activities geared for the 55+ age group. Nightly entertainment. The list goes on and on. It is a perfect place to live if you are not a born loner as I am. I was into social distancing long before it became de rigueur. My wife insisted we buy here and she loves everything about The Villages as does everyone we have met.

Go on and enjoy the movie. Don’t be so uptight that you cannot laugh at yourself and try not to miss the real message.

[Villagesgal]

Lived here 20 years. So much of this article is pure crap. Find anyone who lives on the fringes, as they say and of course they are not happy and don't fit it, that's exactly why they live on the fringes. Interesting they say the golf carts all look like hummers yet in their photo, they all look like golf carts. Such rubbish. I won't bother to watch the film, I'm too busy living in a wonderful community and enjoying my life thank you. There are so many out and out falsehoods that this film is no more than sour Grapes.

[Fiverfella]

This article saddened me.The Daily Mail is a third rate newspaper in the UK . The last four years they have said nothing positive about the USA and usually report utter crap. Please don’t judge Brits by this rag and I apologize on behalf of all Ex Pats for this drivel. Even the UK suffers from the lying press.
The Villages is utopia compared to the mealy minded British society. Don’t read this trash.

[stebooo]

Not sure why you would post this. Only a few things resemble reality and that would be a change in what's is being built today vs yesterday.

The good things and the bad things all exist no matter were we choose to retire. Who mmakecs a documentary and tries to find, the slouch guy looking for a handout, a woman who isn't happy. We are all aging. We slowly become unhappy for obvious reasons. That doesn't mean we stay in our home up north where almost nothing that we can readily do here isn't there. This is a great place for a season. I haven't had std's, nor have I ever found the swingers club. Are they here probably. Just like back home

[Gpsma]

So many people here think this was a documentary about TV.
It wasnt. It was a doc about living in a planned community with lots to do but, because of your circumstances, its not heaven.
For those that continue drinking the Kool-Aid and enjoying their life..continue to do so.
But do not ignore there are people here with many issues....
Lonely widows and widowers.
Too many incidences of domestic violence
Too many people who abuse alcohol.
Too many “City Fire” Romeos

Dont be blinded by the fact that you did find Heaven..but dont ignore that many others didnt find it.

That is the point of the movie.

[miharris]

The article was almost as bad as the movie. I found it ironic that the movie that criticizes the TV as being insulated from reality was itself totally void of reality when it comes to life in TV. The director found the 4 most dysfunctional people possible, and did everything in his power to portray TV as a pathetic version of "Gods waiting room". We have lived here for 5 years, and I have never met anyone even remotely similar to the 4 people in his movie. On the the contrary, we have met hundreds of people with varied interests, backgrounds and beliefs, and we manage to get along with a minimum of fuss and drama. I think some people simply feel a need to criticize and tear down, as opposed to creating something positive.

[Viking55]

Having been to The Villages several times, and just recently buying a home here, I found this article to be hilariously biased and untrue. You have to wonder why some (so called) "journalist" would feel it necessary to write a hit piece like this. Whatever.

I was wondering if there is or has been an article or video portrayal of The Villages that is fair minded and accurate.

Or is The Villages doomed to be parodied by people unhappy with their lot in life?

Gary

[rsalisbu]

Wow - they found 4 people who didn't like the villages

[duffysmom]

6 Inside the Utopian 'Disneyland' for retirees that belies a sinister underbelly of racism, orgies, | Daily Mail Online