Alternative Title: If you enjoy Democracy, whatch Kid Nation.
"If you are obsessed with improving the society in which you live, Kid Nation is an inspiring show." (Altavistagoogle).
When I was 10 I had a paper route. I did not enjoy it. To this day I dislike dogs. But what I disliked the most about delivering papers was all the preparation involved.
My younger sisters helped me discover something important. Kids will work for free. And when someone (my babysitter) introduces the idea that they should be getting financial compensation, they will literally work for pennies. No I didn't send my 7 and 8 year old sisters out into to minus 20 winter to deliver papers, but they were quite willing to help their big brother insert all those flyers into the papers. And it was good preparation as a couple of years later they shared a route together.
It is with this in mind that I thoroughly enjoy, almost guilt free, CBS's Kid Nation. Growing up I enjoyed "You Can't Do That On Television" (filmed in Ottawa). I don't think that show was any more exploitative than "Kid Nation". Granted, the kids on Kid Nation are apparently working for free...
Kid Nation is as good or better than any other reality program I've seen. You want sex and violence free TV, reality TV delivers (not to mention the merciful lack of pretend lawyers or police). I really enjoy the town council and how they "deal" with power. That 10 year old Taylor, telling 14 year olds to "deal with it", is my hero.
Lite entertainment, to be sure, but that is what you need TV to be sometimes. Although if you believe in democracy and are obsessed with improving the society in which you live, perhaps Kid Nation is actually quite an inspiring show.
Alternative view: Kid Nation is Pretty Much the Most Awful Thing on Television, Ever
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