It's not clear to me why Tomorrowland is rundown and has no people living there when they take the rocket from the Eiffel Tower. I understand the destruction of Earth message, but why is Tomorrowland abandoned in the future?
"Well, isn't this place a geographical oddity! Two weeks from everywhere!"
It's implied that Nix kicked everyone out or people just left because they disagreed with him. I wouldn't be surprised if Nix had decided to kill anyone who disagreed with him.
shareI felt Nix had 'the keys to the kingdom.' There are still those working within the city, but it was obviously meant to function as a 'City of Tomorrow.'
However, when they 'cancelled the party' by deciding to destroy the pins and seal off the dimension in 1984, that was when it all just became 'a museum piece.'
It looks like the antenna Frank worked with him on, was the last major project. I personally felt that Nix wasn't really much of an idea person, but the custodian of the Plus Ultra vision, but he lacked a willingness to really think beyond certain limits.
"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."
- Toy Story 3 (9/10)
Perhaps the giant despair-generating machine in the centre of town had something to do with it.
shareTechnically it's not despair-generating, it's predicting the most likely future (and projecting it into people's heads which might be Nix's doing).
People just shrugging at this is what makes Nix just shrug and close down Tomorrowland.
EDIT: In other words "Yeah, I heard the eco-system was going down the toilet but if nobody's fixing it, nobody could fix it, ya know? Ooh, extra-size soda at McDonalds!" is not despair.
"Need" is just a fiction. As is "should", "must", "value" and "importance".
But by projecting that into peoples heads, it was causing then to give up. So, it was causing them to despair. It was a despair-generator.
shareSome were in despair like the dad but the point is most just don't care, they just switch the channel to what celeb has cheated on what celeb because that takes no energy. The despair is about the ones who do exert energy to avert some end of the world.
That's only a technicality, you're basically correct.
"Need" is just a fiction. As is "should", "must", "value" and "importance".
To give up hope is literally the dictionary definition of despair. It's just that while some people respond to despair by rending their garments and crying "Woe is me! All is lost!", other people just look for something good on TV.
shareSure but the point Nix makes is that the people just looking for something good on TV aren't giving up hope, they're reveling in the opportunity to be a couch potato since if the future isn't gonna take care of them why would they take care of it?
"Need" is just a fiction. As is "should", "must", "value" and "importance".
Damon Lindelof typical on purpose plot hole
share
It wasn't abandoned - there were citizens who came out when the monitor blew up
It was just severely underpopulated, and always had been. The vision Casey gets from the pin is a fiction, an advertisement for the Tomorrowland that could be.
Notice when Frank first visits, the roads and sidewalks are largely empty. They were still building and recruiting at the time.
Then Frank invented the monitor, and they shut the doors.