Two hours of ‘reality’ bliss, Survivor-style.

There is an undeniable excitement at the start of a new season of Survivor, now in its 20^th go.  Even though this season revisits players from the past, there is an edgy anticipation in meeting the players and watching them have their initial size-up on the beach.

I always wonder how those players feel when they first step onto the beach and face each other.  Are their hearts pounding?  Are they in shock?  I am reminded of my days going to a new school…mom leads me across the parking lot to the door, and there are kids playing in the yard and laughing…there are teachers scurrying about…and I am trudging my way along into the alien landscape to meet new people and have new experiences.  Will I be accepted?  Tortured?  Outcast?

Possibility rules the new, and it isn’t always fun.

And last night, the same rules applied.  The theme of this season is “Heroes vs. Villains.”  And that’s pretty much what we had…at first.  But as the show begins and the competition begins, we are reminded that that is mostly a perception.  There is gaming and scheming on both beaches, and after awhile, one begins to see that hero or villain is just a matter of packaging.  Of perception.

That has always been the joy of Survivor.  That has been the attraction, I think.  When we see people from all walks of life isolated together, playing a game for a million dollars, we get insight into the nature of the human being.  Will there be friendship?  Love?  Loyalty?  Or will it all degrade into a fish-head soup of lies, deceit, and back-stabbing.

Everyone has ideas about how they would hold to their ethics when it comes to Survivor.  But I have a hunch that while you’re out there, it’s hard to know which way you would turn.

As Heroes vs. Villains continues this season, join the discussion at Orumai and let’s examine the show, its cast, and our own natures.

It’ll be fun…and we may all learn something along the way.

-josh

Now, if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know how much we love Survivor around here.

I tuned in with great interest last night because the show included a preview for the 20th season, which will be entitled, “Heroes vs. Villians“.  Exciting!  Intriguing!  Just plain cool.

And right in the wheelhouse here at Orumai.

Why?

Well, the interest of Survivor is not just the game.  It’s more than that.  It’s the strategy and the beautiful locations.  It’s also the group mentality, and what that says about individuals.  In other words, when you tune in to a fresh season of Survivor, it’s like taking the shrinkwrap off a brand new box of possibility.  When you put 20 or so people together in one place where they will be denied constant food, water, and basic hygiene, plus you dangle $1,000,000 in front of them, well, that is a recipe for human nature to shine at its best…and worst.

This season, Orumai will conduct a weekly Survivor blog.  It’s another chance to get dialogue started on this board about what it means to be human and, possibly, spiritual.  That’s right.  When we watch shows like Survivor, we have a visceral reaction to them because they show us something about our deepest selves through watching others.  When we see people lying, scheming, truthing, battling, and generally hanging tough in adversity, those are usually times when we do an internal check to see if these actions are something we think we would do, or whether we think we would act differently.

It’s also a time to see if we are telling ourselves the truth about such matters.

Whether or not you watch Survivor, I know you’re reading Orumai…and that means you have a point of view on life.  Well?  Do you?  Join in.  And let’s enjoy season 20 together.

Yeah, I know it’s not life or death.

But it’s Survivor!

-josh