With access to former ‘Kid Nation’ contestants, their families, and the show’s creators, culture journalist Josh Gwynn uncovers how this cult TV show became a lightning rod for an ongoing debate about the ethics of reality TV. The producers prompt the kids to confront adult themes, with a joint religious service and town hall elections. Through the introduction of politics and religion, we see how Kid Nation is a microcosm of the real world in 2007, where the shadow of 9/11 and the War on Terror looms large.