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12 Abandoned Utopias That Didn't Last
These paradises are long lost.
Heaven is always one utopia away. For centuries, charismatic religious and philosophical leaders have inspired droves of followers to come together and establish new societies: sometimes to build a better world here on Earth, other times to await the coming apocalypse or Rapture.
Although many of these groups began as adventures in idealistic community-building, only ruins or plaques remain of once-thriving compounds, colonies, and towns. Some infamous spots, like the Rajneesh compound in Oregon and Charles Manson’s doomsday ranch in California, ended in horrors. Others, like the Home of Truth in Utah and the Rugby Colony of Tennessee, simply faded away after a series of bad decisions.
Exploring these failed utopias, there are plenty of lessons to take away of what not to do if you want to establish your own flourishing commune.
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