Question for Survivor Fans

[Darkaway]

My wife and I disagree over how CBS's Survivor game show should be played.

She believes that the same rules of conduct, in regard to honesty and integrity, that apply in "real" life should also apply on the show.

I disagree. If I were a contestant I would do whatever it takes to win. If someone else on the show lied to me to achieve a goal I would have no ill feelings against them at all. I consider myself to be a very honest and honorable person in business and in life but Survivor is by definition a game, and the game's rules do not prohibit lying. It's not real life. Almost anything goes. I would not steal anyone's food or posessions and I would never do anything to physically harm anyone. But as far as playing the "political" game goes, it's open season.

I believe that any person who succeeds on Survivor by using deceit can be a perfectly honorable person in real life.

What do you think? Would you play the same way or am I just a morally bankrupt snake?

 

[ewick]

I hate Survivor, but I think you're right. Deceit is a great tool, just not a socially acceptable one. However, the cast of Survivor is not in a social setting, so long live the trickery!

 

[Darkcobra]

Trickery works until someone spills the bean like they did last night for Rob the snake. . . /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Its only a game with a million dollar prize, I'd be pulling every trick out of the hat. . .

 

[BrianC]

Survivor has always been a game of politics, not survival skills. Trickery and deceit will only get a person so far, but diplomacy is also required to win. Since the last 7 people voted out gets to vote who wins, you just can't rely on pure trickery and deceit.

 

[arioch]

Please note that Jenna and Heidi, who were whining incessantly at the beginning of this week's episode about Rob's betrayal during last week's episode (in voting out alliance member Alex), spent a great deal of time during last week's episode literally gloating about how their alliance would be voting out the other 3 members over the following 3 weeks. Additionally this week, Jenna and Heidi both claimed that they would not use such backstabbing tactics to win. Amusingly, they then proceeded to backstab and vote off Kristy, with whom they had been trying to make another alliance (girls vs boys) after being told by Rob that the men would be voting for Kristy or Heidi (Jenna had won immunity this week). Kristy had apparently mistakenly believed that she was in a position to bargain for some power this week, which got her bumped out a week early.

I have enjoyed this show since the first season, where I stood shocked as the slimiest, most arrogant ******* (Richard Hatch) won the game.

Similar dynamics work in Big Brother, where people you don't think you would ever vote for in 'real life' end up getting a majority of votes in the game.

One reason undesirable people tend to make it further into the games is because the others feel that they would win in a popularity vote against an s.o.b. rather than against a 'nice' person. Unfortunately, this plan sometimes will work against the other contestant.

Richard Hatch admitted before the final vote that he was indeed arrogant and lied and deceived others, and always felt he would win. However, he came in with a plan (the eventual alliance), which he executed perfectly.

The guy who won Big Brother 2 was a self-absorbed, narcisistic, arrogant, obnoxious, and lying *******, but he said at the beginning of the show that he would lie, cheat, and steal to win the game. Despite this admission, he consistently made agreements and alliances with others, and lied left and right, and got pulled through for his 'hate factor'. He eventually won after giving the same speech that Richard Hatch did.

The question on these final votes is, do you vote for the person who is a consistent lying ******* who readily admits to being one, or do you vote for the person who seems nice but either had to lie or behave badly out of character?

There seem to be no definitive answer, as different types of people have been winning these shows. That is why I enjoy watching. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Lurker]

[ QUOTE ]
Darkaway said:
She believes that the same rules of conduct, in regard to honesty and integrity, that apply in "real" life should also apply on the show.

[/ QUOTE ]
That is exactly how the show works. In both real life and the show, some people try to use deceit to their advantage. It is a perfect microcosm of society which is what makes the show so interesting. [note: I haven't seen it since the second round, so it may have changed since then]