‘Eco-Challenge’ Ethics

I am appalled by Howard Rosenberg’s column comparing “Eco-Challenge” to “Survivor,” much less to the other made-for-TV hype, as he so accurately put it. “Eco-Challenge” is a race. It was based on an unrelated but similar race as an expedition adventure. Its coed teams are competing not so much against each other but against themselves and the course.

If anything in the column was accurate, it was truthfully depicting Mark Burnett’s love of drama, but do not confuse his two creations. They are opposites. If Burnett has done anything that might relate the two, he has set up a perfect human research lab with the two “events.”

“Eco-Challenge” is about the celebration of life and living. It is about what is possible when human beings work together as one, against any situation or problem that arises.

“Survivor” illustrates perfectly the dark side of humanity, one that all too many viewers identify with and take solace in, by knowing there are others that operate from the same mind-set. “Survivor” is about manipulation, backstabbing and ending up alone but on top, which most would agree, who have been there, is not a gratifying or celebrated place.

The biggest, most obvious difference--which I cannot believe went over Rosenberg’s head--is that all these other shows he mentioned are made for TV. “Eco-Challenge” happens to be covered by TV, but is not the reason for its existence.

ALYSON DENK

Competitor,

“Eco-Challenge: Borneo”