Dumping the Rice – A Piece, of the Sky

Siblings are meant to be rivals and challenge each other – but to not be close to your parents, close to one parent or close to each parent, in a different way – is truly something and is quite sad.

“Beggars can’t be choosers” – so the saying goes. I talked about this, about a week ago. Why didn’t Brett and JC rally all the misfit toys and pull together a minuteman militia?? I get it, Rockstar is a pretty unique individual. But, each person is a vote and each person can row together, with the team. You had a ragtag Dumbledore’s Army, to lead, right there, JC!

There are bisexuals, but the two big groups of people are people who like men and people who like women. Gay males and straight females tend to be friends and gay females and straight males tend to be friends.

Sometimes, outside of the realm of social justice, it’s hard for most gay males and gay females to have a ton of things in common. So, I get it, if JC didn’t immediately gravitate to Kaycee. But Angela? It’s odd that the both of them had so very little to say to each other (??). No one is going to throw JC a lifesaver, as he floats, in the wake of the downed Titanic.

Bitterness Level? JC is a 9 out of 10, as of now – especially if the Three sit him down and tell him that he really didn’t know what was going on, in the game and that a mega-alliance was running the show, for almost the entire season.

I am never a fan of dropping hints to people, that they’re going home. Rob is very much against this idea and says as much, in The Evolution of Strategy series – detailing all of the Survivor seasons – several times.

The emotional approach makes the victor want to feel sorry for the vanquished and put them out of their mercy. But this depends on how you define ‘mercy.’

Telling someone he or she is going home – that the house or the tribe is going to execute them – only draws out the pain and makes the mark suffer more. The HG or the tribe member, sitting on Death Row, may become despondent or desperate and do something crazy, like the oft-quoted ‘dumping the rice.’

The death-throe thrashing of the defeated hurts the group, as a whole. A swift blindside is more merciful, for everyone involved, even if he or she is initially more bitter. For JC and Sam, the silence of the lambs is preferred to the reverse.

Speaking of Sam, she talks a big game, but never does anything. If Sam was so upset, she should have taken out Tyler and won the half-million. Don’t talk about doing it; do it.

Sam should have channeled all this talk, about lead pipes and curb stomping, into altering her fate, in the game. Now, it’s too late and she’s going home. Should-have, could-have; could-a, would-a. “A day late and a dollar short,” as Angela would say.

Stay calm and stay regular. “Take your Metamucil.” I mean, Brett played the game. I am glad Angela wasn’t surprised, in regard to Brett’s impending treachery. We just witnessed the Level 6 civil war!

Tyler, Angela and Kaycee flexed their first strike capability against Brett, before he could even make a move.

I am happy for Tangela; I just don’t do showmances well. The “I love you”(s) feel forced. Law 20, of the 48 Laws of Power: “Do Not Commit to Anyone.” It takes years to truly love someone. Fans, this is for TV. Just pull out a script.

Also, in the Stupid File: Nobody decides anything on Thursday morning. Governments and corporations have things planned out, beyond 2023. Wake up, Hay. She didn’t deserve a coup de grâce – and she didn’t get one. In Survivor, telling someone he or she is going, is risking that such a person will dump the rice.

I get excited when my favorites win comps, because I value action, over words, but Kaycee doesn’t have the killer instinct. She was really excited, to get Brett out of the house – but only once Tyler walked her through it and explained a blindside, to Kaycee, Barney-style. Otherwise, Kaycee would still be saying “Let’s Go,” for all of Level 6. That’s not how the real world works, Kaycee. Out there, some people are devious and underhanded.

Kaycee will be rocked by a betrayal – if Tyler doesn’t carry her to the end, and lose to her, in the Final Two. In the GBMs, Angela and Tyler decided to blame Hay’s exit on Brett. But that’s just poor planning, since Brett will be following her, soon after and they will compare notes, in the jury house. Hay will then wonder why Tyler and Angela had to lie to her, even in the GBMs. Again, we’re looking at a Kaycee win, by accident, not on purpose.

JC was more horrified for himself, than for Brett. JBrett was over before it even began; Tyler and Angela nipped that power pair, in the bud. JC didn’t even vote to keep Brett. JC is just trying to keep all his ducks in a row. He did jump off the Brett boat, before it went down, but JC’s still a rat, fleeing sinking ship, after sinking ship, Titanic after Titanic. Could JC still win? Maybe, but also only by accident, not on purpose.

If Julie asks you if you are going to vote for Tyler or vote “bitter,” that’s not a real choice. Of course, on live TV, Brett is going to be a good sportsman. But coach the question, in another way: voting “emotionally,” instead of voting “bitter,” and Brett is totally on board.

You cheer, when you get out an enemy, but Tyler, Angela and Kaycee really laughed, while twisting the knife, into their friend. Yes, friends expect everything and betray, at the drop of a hat, just like in the 48 Laws of Power – while enemies expect nothing, and will be loyal, for a scrap of goodwill. But Tyler and Angela are killing their chances with the jury. Pyrrhic victory? We’ll see.