In this story by Terry Bisson, a woman has been nominated from entries all over the world to represent humanity in an annual TV extravaganza. The focus of the show, set in the future and officiated over by world leaders, is Environmental Awareness. One of its features is a “Wonders of Science” film segment celebrating technology that can concentrate a whole year’s toxic wastes and pollutants into a single donut. In the finale, the donut for the previous year is presented to the world. The unwitting woman’s role is to eat it. Themes include environmentalism, science and technology, human sacrifice.
In addition to the major themes outlined above, Bisson hints at several sub-themes in the story:
- Corporate Greed and Dissimulation. The polluting corporations want to keep a very low profile and, by having a Consumer sacrifice him/herself for the environment, promote the view that is them (consumers) who are largely to blame for pollution;
- Deception and Futility. The Consumer’s eating of the donut is purely symbolic. It simply transfers the pollutants to their bodies and does nothing to safely dispose of them;
- Schadenfreude (the joy of watching pain or suffering in others) as Entertainment. The audience rating, higher than the academy awards, says it all.
Original Text / PDF (1,450 words)