Mind Body Spirit Place
October 5, 2009 4:34 PM   Subscribe

Appalachia Ohio is home to an eclectic mix of individuals united by a common sense of place. Through photography, video, audio, text and interactive graphics, Soul of Athens reveals the spirit of this unique community. Produced by students at Ohio University's School of Visual Communication. (2008, 2007)
posted by netbros (9 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Much of this is pretty sad.
I moved the Athens for my boyfriend Jason and my husband came with me. We played it off as brother & sister so we could date other people. I have mental illness and my husband takes care of me. I still have feelings for Jason but me and my husband are together last year I filed for a divorce but did not go through with it. Jeff is so happy we are still together. and we have a place to live.

Tanya Whyde
Lost in Palin Sight

I've watched 3 so far, and so far haven't seen a happy one.
posted by cjorgensen at 5:22 PM on October 5, 2009


That school of visual communications could learn that flash is the most inferior choice for communicating visual content across the webahsphere
posted by jsavimbi at 5:36 PM on October 5, 2009


As a Canadian who has lived in Athens, Ohio for the past 15 years, I've really come to love this area. Yes, there is a lot of poverty and sadness in the outlying areas, but Athens itself is quite a mecca in the hills of southeastern Ohio, with quite a vibrant art community, and the nicest people you'll ever meet.
posted by newfers at 7:27 PM on October 5, 2009


Hey! I'm from there!
posted by sredefer at 9:26 PM on October 5, 2009


Yay! My alma mater and home away from home on MeFi....who would have thought?
posted by KoPi_42 at 9:28 PM on October 5, 2009


I grew up an hour south of Athens, and I have to say that it's a pretty extreme exception to what life is like in most of Southeastern Ohio. Get out to Vinton or Meigs Counties and the poverty is worse and the options fewer. It's really a depressing place to come back to, or honestly even to read the paper in, at least since the murder rate spiked. The whole area is in a painfully obvious state of decay and the only people left are the people who can't get the hell out. I can honestly say that I feel pretty lucky to have been able to move away, doubly so every time I go back and run into someone I knew in high school who (to pick examples from life) got arrested for stealing a $400 hunting bow or just got out of jail for Vicodin and Oxycontin or had his father suffocated in a botched home invasion.

Absolutely nothing against Athens, which is a great college town with all sorts of stuff going on, but there are a lot of places not that far from it that don't have excited young out-of-towners streaming in to tell their stories.
posted by Copronymus at 9:33 PM on October 5, 2009


cjorgensen, maybe this is less sad: Made in Athens: The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet) offers small area businesses such as Milo's Whole World Gourmet the training, facilities and networking to get off the ground.
posted by honest knave at 12:07 AM on October 6, 2009


I used to work with several graduates of Ohio University and they were always quick to tell me that Athens is one of the most haunted place in Ohio.
posted by LakesideOrion at 6:43 AM on October 6, 2009


Thanks for posting this. I also grew up in southeast Ohio, and Athens was a real haven for me, socially and culturally. I bought my records there, went to midnight movies, saw concerts, and went to a bar or two, or three...It is certainly a unique place with a unique feel.

the only people left are the people who can't get the hell out

You would think so, but my entire family lives there, apparently by choice. My sister and her family actually moved back to SE Ohio after living in various other places, including suburban Philadelphia. She looks positively on our upbringing there and believes that it is a good place to raise her children as well. I don't happen to agree with her, but I see where she is coming from I guess. I find going back for a visit to be pretty depressing.
posted by Otis at 6:49 AM on October 6, 2009


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