Survivor and Games as a Mirror to Ourselves

On the latest episode of survivor, something kind of shocking happened. Naonka made quite a big move in order to acquire for herself a clue that would help further her in the game. In the words of Jeff Probst (from his highly recommended weekly blog over at EW.com):

You KNOCKED DOWN A WOMAN WITH AN ARTIFICIAL LEG! ON PURPOSE! SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE YOU KNEW THAT WOULD THROW HER OFF BALANCE SO YOU COULD STEAL A CLUE THAT SHE FOUND FIRST!

So there you have it. In the context of everyday life, it would be absolutely condemned behavior, and there is no way Naonka would consider doing something like that. But Survivor is a game, and the circumstances are extreme, and Naonka was able to not only bring herself to knock over a one-legged woman, but to glory in it. She explains:”I got hood. Not ghetto.” She then goes on to revel in how brilliant she is.

My problem is not necessarily the act. One could argue that all is fair within the established rules of the game. But what I find interesting is how clearly this game has brought out the true nature of this person, who not only finds it within her to knock over this girl, but who also puts that act squarely in the “awesome” category.

Interesting, isn’t it? Games not only show who we are by what we do, but by showing our response to the actions of others and ourselves.