CNN picks up on "ruin porn" phrase

[Johnlodge]

'Ruin porn' Detroit becomes pin-up for reinvention

Images of Detroit's crumbling industrial landscape have been documented so frequently that jaded locals now refer to them as "ruin porn."

Link to article

[Cooper]

Uh, this didn't happen:

Faced with spreading decay, city planners led by Detroit Mayor David Bing decided last year to amputate. Large tracts of urban space were cleared to stem the drain on civic resources -- although the move was not met without some dismay from those whose neighborhoods faced destruction.

I guess I shouldn't be shocked, but I'm still taken aback to see CNN so blatantly misrepresent the facts. The Detroit Works Project hasn't even produced a plan yet, let alone seen implementation! All the City has done so far is abolish some abandoned homes -- an ongoing task that's been underway for decades.

[Cooper]

If anyone is so motivated, you can report errors to CNN here:

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form6.html

If anyone from Bing's administration has seen the article, they must be livid. This will just feed the paranoia around the Detroit Works Project.

[Johnlodge]

Uh, this didn't happen:

Faced with spreading decay, city planners led by Detroit Mayor David Bing decided last year to amputate. Large tracts of urban space were cleared to stem the drain on civic resources -- although the move was not met without some dismay from those whose neighborhoods faced destruction.

I guess I shouldn't be shocked, but I'm still taken aback to see CNN so blatantly misrepresent the facts. The Detroit Works Project hasn't even produced a plan yet, let alone seen implementation! All the City has done so far is abolish some abandoned homes -- an ongoing task that's been underway for decades.

Nice catch. Maybe they mean Tiger Stadium. </sarcasm>

Looks like they already edited it, too.

[Cooper]

Nice catch. Maybe they mean Tiger Stadium. </sarcasm>

Looks like they already edited it, too.

They edited it at 6 o'clock after I emailed the reporter [[with no acknowledgment it was ever incorrect). He sounded embarrassed. As he should be. He's based out of London. He probably just skimmed the internet and made two phone calls. No wonder he got this story dead wrong.

[East Detroit]

Calm down, jaded locals!

[clermont]

article by detroiter john leahy exploring "ruin porn" concept:

http://www.guernicamag.com/features/2281/leary_1_15_11/

[iheartthed]

article by detroiter john leahy exploring "ruin porn" concept:

http://www.guernicamag.com/features/2281/leary_1_15_11/

Great essay.

[rb336]

Rome, Athens, vast tracts of Europe make their living off "ruin porn." Mexico, Egypt and Cambodia make a living off of "ruin porn."

Why don't we?

[English]

Great essay.

Yes it is. Just shared it on Facebook... perhaps the most thoughtful Detroit essay I've read since Jerry Herron's.

[erikd]

Rome, Athens, vast tracts of Europe make their living off "ruin porn." Mexico, Egypt and Cambodia make a living off of "ruin porn."

Why don't we?

Why would we? I cannot understand why anybody would rather see our beautiful buildings rot away for the morbid pleasure of a few tourists than see them restored and put back into use.

[Django]

I have to agree with rb336, Ive never seen the problem with so called "ruin porn". Its not as if anyone can make it to downtown without seeing whats actually going on in Detroit. Most of the buildings are beyond repair, its just the natural cycle of things, some cities make it and come out looking like Seattle, others dont and, well, look like ours. I dont find it sad but I do find it interesting, watching nature take back. Granted, I didnt first move here till the early 90s so I never had a connection with the old Detroit.

[fryar]

Rome, Athens, vast tracts of Europe make their living off "ruin porn." Mexico, Egypt and Cambodia make a living off of "ruin porn."

Why don't we?

Blame the jaded locals. ;-)

There's "logistical" issues, liability insurance and such, but in principle, there's value there. For some.

[Melocoton]

Blame the jaded locals. ;-)

There's "logistical" issues, liability insurance and such, but in principle, there's value there. For some.

Also, Cambodia's temple ruins are a thousand years old. Some of Mexico's are older.

[iheartthed]

Front page: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_813696.html

[erikd]

I have to agree with rb336, Ive never seen the problem with so called "ruin porn". Its not as if anyone can make it to downtown without seeing whats actually going on in Detroit. Most of the buildings are beyond repair, its just the natural cycle of things, some cities make it and come out looking like Seattle, others dont and, well, look like ours. I dont find it sad but I do find it interesting, watching nature take back. Granted, I didnt first move here till the early 90s so I never had a connection with the old Detroit.

The problem with ruin porn is that it doesn't show what is actually going on. It promotes and celebrates an image of complete failure and hopelessness without any context, balance, or accuracy.

Look at the pathetic excuse for journalism in the link above. CNN leads this story with a picture of the parking lots behind the Fox Theatre [[completely empty, most likely taken on an early weekend morning), and the caption reads "Detroit's deserted and dilapidated landscape has attracted documentary film makers."

The picture and caption paints a grim and bleak portrait of an awful place, featuring a mad-max type of existence.

If CNN was concerned with facts and accuracy, this lead photo should have come with a caption and/or paragraph explaining that that this "deserted and dilapidated landscape" shown in the photograph is actually a picture of property owned by a billionaire tycoon who purchased this land and then used his money and political power to get the state of Michigan to pay $1.5 million for the demolition of several building on this site, so he could charge $20+ per spot during downtown sporting events, and clear the way for a new nine-figure hockey arena.

Ruin porn is not about documenting what is really going on in Detroit. Ruin porn is all about exploitation and shock value. It is the photographer/journalist version of the Jerry Springer Show.

[Django]

Good points erikd, Im listening. But the article was hopeful in its intent.

If someone is going to write an article about filmmakers documenting the ruins why would they want to show a picture of, say the front of MGM Grand, or the front of Fox theater? The pics in the article were not that 'pornographic' Ive seen much worse.

[RaumVogel]

http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/05...leans-75-pics/

Here's some great "Ruin porn".

[Zacha341]

So cheerful that our agnst and woe once again has a 'national' use...

[Richard]

6 years later and not all scrapped out,some really cool looking deco features and half round gutters still in place on some of the buildings.

Detroit does not have ruin porn, just lots of buildings needing a little TLC .

[Jimaz]

http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/05...leans-75-pics/

Here's some great "Ruin porn".

Thanks for posting that.

I had to look it up. I lived five miles from there long before it was ever built.

Street View of Six Flags New Orleans

The Wikipedia article

[Rockin' Best]

John Leahy's piece in Guernicamag was very well done, and ably defined the "factions" involved in this discussion. And the ruins of Six Flags in New Orleans are also very striking - I've seen YouTube videos of what happened to that park when Hurricane Katrina came.