Kid Nation

[SicEmBaylor]

I couldn't get the search feature to work, so I'm not sure if anyone has posted a topic on this show yet.

In case you don't know, Kid Nation is an upcoming show on CBS due to premier in September that takes a bunch of kids and puts them in a western ghost town and basically leaves them to their own devices to run the city as they see fit without parents, adults, etc. There has been some controversy lately over child labor laws, but I tend to think that if the kids are actually somewhat successful in having to do all the work of a city then that would be cause to actually repeal child labor laws.

The thing is though, I just watched the first preview of this show and one of the kids stands up at a town hall meeting and encourages everyone to put their differences and self-interests aside and work for the common good without "greed." He is subsequently cheered by all these kids.

My question is, where in God's green earth do kids pick up this quasi-socialist bull****? I mean really....I know a LOT of it has to do with public schools but I suspect their entertainment has something to do with it too. I haven't watched kids programming in years and years...I didn't watch it much when I was a kid. So are their TV shows, books, etc. promoting this idea of the common good at the expense of the interest of the individual? I tend to think that the answer is, yes.

[rufnek05]

i don't bother with prime time tv. its all pointless and sad.

[SicEmBaylor]

i don't bother with prime time tv. its all pointless and sad.
That's almost completely true. 24 is the exception, but yes.

[Petro-Sooner]

I'll check it out.

[KABOOKIE]

yep. Greed is a trait I normally teach my kids. :rolleyes:

[SicEmBaylor]

yep. Greed is a trait I normally teach my kids. :rolleyes:
Working for your own self-interests, needs, and desires is not "greed" which is how these kids (and many people in general) seem to define the term. I can't say that for certain, but I got the impression that is what this particular kid on the clip was saying. I'd have to see the entire show, but I can easily see them going in that direction.

I would certainly teach my kids to achieve as much success and accumulate as much wealth as they can, within legal limits, and not feel guilty about doing so.

[KABOOKIE]

It's an experiement. If I'm stuck on an island with 30 other you can damn well bet self-interest is going to take a back seat.

[SicEmBaylor]

It's an experiement. If I'm stuck on an island with 30 other you can damn well bet self-interest is going to take a back seat.
That's a good point, but it's not the same situation. It would absolutely be in your self-interest to work for the collective good if your goal is to survive in the short term and/or get off the island.

This particular experiment with the kids is to build a city/civilization/way of life the way kids think it should be. So, this is how the entire world should be run according to children. In this case, you're building a new kind of society not really trying to survive or to get out of the place.

[Frozen Sooner]

Yeah, I remember going through my Randroid phase as well.

[SicEmBaylor]

Yeah, I remember going through my Randroid phase as well.

I'm not a Randian, but there's a big difference between that extreme and being concerned that a bunch of kids who all seem to agree that the way the world should work is to disregard your own interests in favor of the community especially as it concerns work.

I never had a Randian phase and am unlikely to do so in the future.

[sooneron]

Worrying solely about yourself is not exactly how you get a society going. Just sayin'.

[royalfan5]

Does Baylor not even touch on the concept of social capital and why it is important?

[SicEmBaylor]

Does Baylor not even touch on the concept of social capital and why it is important?
I don't take my cues from the Baylor Political Science Department, dept. of economics, sociology, or any other department.

The degree to which everyone assumes that I'm talking in extremes here is frustrating. I'm not advocating they take a free for all/anarchist approach to setting this city up. My only point is that when trying to develop a basis for their society, their first reaction is to default on the position of "From each according to ability; to each according to need."

Obviously, they have to work together. I never said there was anything wrong with that. You have to do that in order to build any kind of sustainable economy. My beef here is that the kid who suggested all of this seemed to consider any work for one's self (which was the basis of the argument) to be "greedy."

[OUHOMER]

it is a joke. its done under controlled atmosphere. There are adults standing around. they know they can go home if they want. Hell they are probably giveN a damn script.

SEE: LORD OF THE FLIES..

[SicEmBaylor]

it is a joke. its done under controlled atmosphere. There are adults standing around. they know they can go home if they want. Hell they are probably giveN a damn script.

SEE: LORD OF THE FLIES..

Well, there are adults around obviously. I've been taking CBS at their word that they basically were there to "supervise" but not "interfere." And I think for the most part that's true. I think CBS, the adults, throw in some some incentives but for the most part I pretty much thing they let the kids guide things but who knows.

[critical_phil]

i guess i fail to see your point, but i'm not as smrt as most people. in fact, i've never even read the Quasi-Socialist Bull**** Handbook.

on what page does it address those in society that have all of their **** paid for, don't work, and brag on message boards about never having used a lawn mower?

i'll take your answer off the air.

[Petro-Sooner]

HEH

[GottaHavePride]

1. Kids are naive and have a naive viewpoint.

2. To that kind of viewpoint, socialism is an IDEAL solution to the "why can't everyone just share and be happy?" question.

3. Kids probably don't realize that these ideas have been tried many times before.

[oklaclarinet]

My question is, where in God's green earth do kids pick up this quasi-socialist bull****? I mean really....I know a LOT of it has to do with public schools but I suspect their entertainment has something to do with it too. I haven't watched kids programming in years and years...I didn't watch it much when I was a kid. So are their TV shows, books, etc. promoting this idea of the common good at the expense of the interest of the individual? I tend to think that the answer is, yes.

I would say that the sacrifice of the individual for the common or greater good is one of the more common themes in all of literature. I'm not just talking about the stuff for kids, but in all books, movies, and TV shows.

[sooneron]

Obviously, they have to work together. I never said there was anything wrong with that. You have to do that in order to build any kind of sustainable economy. My beef here is that the kid who suggested all of this seemed to consider any work for one's self (which was the basis of the argument) to be "greedy."
You really are talking in circles here. AND you're taking the kid's statement out of context. While he is saying that everyone should be a team player (with you in agreement that it is best), you are putting some ideology in the kid's words. It makes little sense.

Shocker

[Petro-Sooner]

You really are talking in circles here. AND you're taking the kid's statement out of context. While he is saying that everyone should be a team player (with you in agreement that it is best), you are putting some ideology in the kid's words. It makes little sense.

Shocker
I concur. Its a kid. He doesnt know what hes saying when put in context of the level you are bringing it.

[Scott D]

well people let's deal with the facts here.

1. This *is* SicEm we're talking about, he wouldn't know proper priorities if they kicked his *** after announcing who they were.
2. He fails to see how his little concept of how a government should be would be the first thing that a bunch of kids would think of.
3. Clearly if it came down to it, and I had to bet on who had better survival skills between SicEm and a 6 year old...I'd take the 6 year old.

[leavingthezoo]

too bad there can't be a bunch of carbon copies of you sic'em, that we could toss into the same scenario. sic'em vs. sic'em. the lack of progress would be phenomenal, but the hilarious inability to fix something, or locate it would ... well, be worth canceling, but still.

man, this may be the first time i'm disappointed cloning is not acceptable for humans.

:D

um, i've actually never heard of this show.

[Suerreal]

When you put people in an extreme isolated (or in this case artificial) environment, putting aside personal gain to ensure the group survives is necessary. Would any of the Pilgrims have survived if it were every person for themselves?

Once group survival is assured, then people will start going after personal gain; the key difference is when that happens.

There's a difference between having a grasp of the most fundamental sociology concepts and being a socialist.