Kid Nation

I have been know to watch a reality show or two (or three). My favorites are "American Idol" and "Big Brother", but I also like BET's "Sunday Best" and I don't usually watch BET for obvious reasons. The one reality show that has me really intrigued is "Kid Nation". At first I started watching because I wanted to see if these children would actually be left alone to run this town by themselves for forty days. Once it was determined that there were adults there too intervene if crisis's arose, I was able to watch the show without feeling like I was contributing to the abuse of children.

The premise is that 40 children were transported to a western town called "Bonanza City" to get the town up and running. In true nineteenth century fashion the town has none of the modern day luxuries. They have to pump their water and bring it back to the town, for cooking, washing dishes, drinking, and cleaning. The town is divided into four districts, the Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green. The town is socially stratified and each week there is a showdown to determine which category each group will find themselves in. There is the Upper Class, the Merchants, the Cooks, and the Laborers. Of course everyone is vying for the upper class and no one wants to be a laborer.

Each week there is also a town meeting in which the town council (one child from each district) votes on the town citizen who deserves the gold star, literally worth it's weight in gold (20,000 dollars). At the town meeting the citizens are asked if anyone of them wants to go home. So far at least three children has found it too difficult to stay in Bonanza City.

I am hooked on this show and I am always in awe of how intelligent, well-spoken, and determined these children are as they attempt to successfully build a city.