Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Tribe Has Spoken - Or In Your Case, Will Speak

Do you watch Survivor? 

Even if you don't, I'm gonna need your opinion here so stick around.

The gist of the game is that players compete for a million dollars by outwitting, outlasting and outplaying their other contestants. Tribal council is held every 1 - 3 days and a player is voted out each time. Progressively, a jury of 9 is formed to, in the end, vote for the ultimate winner of the game - the "sole Survivor." This is a game that has no rules, no guidelines and no morals.

This brings me to my question: if you are chosen to play a game such as this - it could be Survivor, Big Brother or any other related reality show -  where a million dollars is on the line, should you play it as yourself or should you throw out everything you know because the game has no rules?

I've watched Survivor since the very beginning. I've never missed an episode and I've seen a lot of contestants play a lot of different ways. There have been winners who stayed true to their moral selves, winners who are extremely moral in real life and played the game completely opposite and winners who have never had any morals and certainly didn't bring any into the game.


It was a hot-button issue on Sunday night's finale. People called into question another contestant's character, integrity and morals and when confronted the accused - who in my opinion is the best strategic player to ever play Survivor - replied saying this to the jury, "You people look at me like I'm the devil and all I did was play the game." The game that remember, has no rules and does not require you to operate with any manner of moral compass. I understand when you're sitting on the jury because of the people you're expected to vote for your feelings can be hurt, your ego damaged. But can you really fault the person who lied, cheated and stole for doing so when there is nothing in the game that said he couldn't?


I consider myself to be a highly moral person. I am honest and I also believe that character is everything. However, if ever to play the game of Survivor I can't say that I wouldn't throw life's rulebook out the window to have a shot at a million dollars, or just the title of "Sole Survivor."


So back to the question: If chosen to play Survivor, how would you play the game?


a) I would play the game just as I live my life - be it moral and honest or not.
b)I would play it like it's meant to be played - honesty be damned.
c)This is a stupid post and I couldn't care less.


Survivors ready*
Go.


*Just a little Survivor humor for you! This is what Jeff says at the beginning of every challenge.

3 comments:

  1. I'm a horrible game-player. Horrible. I'd fail at those style games simply because I'm too timid, and I'd definitely feel guilty undercutting others!

    But I'd be the first person voted off that no one actually knew was on the show!

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  2. I've never been a survivor fan but I'd probably end up just being myself. I can be quite the bitch when I want to be. LOL!!! I'd be one of the first to go home for sure. :) XOXO

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  3. Oh I think Russell should have won last time and this time. he is definitely the strongest player. It's called Outwit, Outplay, Outlast and he did!

    The dragonslayer who played with "integrity" didn't get very far.

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Spill it.....