Prose Essay Summary

In her essay, Voting Democracy off the Island: Reality TV and the Republican Ethos, Francine Prose unveils a peculiar relationship between reality television and the Republican Party.  She draws parallels between the Social Darwinist, "anything goes" strategies of the contestants and the Bush Administration's decision-making process.  Prose begins by describing the nature of reality shows.  The contestants are placed in a dog-eat-dog situation that requires everyone to do whatever it takes to further their chances of winning the prize.  This often includes sabotaging their fellow group members.  She then suggests that viewers are compelled to eventually support one of the contestants, condoning their actions in the process.  She goes on to state that this paved the way for the American people's tolerance of what she sees as government travesties against the law and human rights.