Originally a gold mining town with 8,000 residents, Bodie, California was essentially abandoned by the 1940s. In 1962, it was incorporated into California's Department of Parks and Recreation, which helps maintain the grounds and keeps them open so they can be enjoyed by 200,000 yearly visitors. The remaining buildings are kept in a state of arrested decay.
@AbandonedAmerica I wonder if any one of those 200,000 dystopia-tourists understand that this is what their economic system does to communities, generation after generation? This is the result of an earlier "bubble" economy. Does anyone understand that, while basking in the nostalgia and doing the photo ops?
@AbandonedAmerica I hope that many see the sadness in this site, and that they see the ever expanding wasteland of abandoned strip malls, shopping centers, and residential neighborhoods is their current gold rush ghost town.
@AbandonedAmerica and yes, I sensed your sarcasm. No, it's not justified. Look at what Americans have done with basic public health. They've ignored it because ewww icky masks and inconvenience, and millions are dead as a result. I'll never assume Americans are smart or aware enough to sense their own doom again.
@Milkman76 I'd say I resent it a bit because it lumps all people together assuming everyone lacks reasoning in their response, not that there are a wide variety of reactions or motivations. For example, my own. I'm what a somewhat rude and uncharitable person could describe as a dystopia tourist. If you ask "does anyone who sees this respond x way?" - I am one of the people you are referring to. As does the above comment. I was born in the US. Sure sounds like you're saying we're all dipshits.
@AbandonedAmerica I photograph anything I can, including abandoned places. This doesnt mean I am promoting dystopia tourism, nor are you. I wasnt insinuating this, but I was commenting about my desire - my hope - that many people observing them will see the truth and not just nostalgia.
I understand your defensiveness about this. Hopefully we understand each other well enough now.
@Milkman76 we do, and thank you. It is so hard to tell sometimes how people mean things in comments. I need reminding periodically that my initial read of a comment is not the only interpretation.
@Milkman76 fair enough. I thank you for calmly explaining and apologize if I was defensive where I didn't need to be. I appreciate your reply.
To your original point, people in general scare me. I think every society struggles with monsters. The US is indeed at a very scary juncture and I worry about it every day. And I too hope that people will see that extractive capitalism is a cancer that is entering its final, terminal stage. It has already claimed so many lives.
@AbandonedAmerica my family and I have spent the last 4 years sheltering in place because 1) we are science literate and understand the risk of COVID to everyone, and 2) we have a vulnerable family member. We have a very serious situation here, and ALMOST EVERYONE AROUND US refuses to mask, distance, or even begin to care. "If you are vulnerable, just stay inside and let us go out" has been a common comment.
If you find another popular culture in america, let me know.
@AbandonedAmerica I believe my prior happy-go-lucky attitude, which was who I was pre-COVID, has dissolved into age and rage today. I have a hard time laughing lately, things just seem a lot more real than they ever have in america.
I hope photographic records such as that which you publish will inspire awareness in people.
@Milkman76 in my 15+ years of visiting abandoned places, my impression is that they're a bit of a Rorschach test. People see them as reflections of whatever it is they already believed beforehand
@AbandonedAmerica In the late 70's there was a family restaurant in San Diego called "Bodie's Boom Town". It was themed after Bodie and your booth could be in a fake "building" around the perimeter of the room. The choice spot was to eat in the jail. The food was probably crap, but my brothers and I kept bugging our parents to take us there.
I would say that Bodie's legacy lived on in that restaurant, but I can't find any reference of it online. I guess I switched universes at some point.
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