Archive through September 01, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: What I learned about life this year from watching BB4: Archive through September 01, 2003

Spectacle

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 01:07 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Yes, where do we see each house guest in one year, ten years, 25 years?

I also thought of starting a BB4 trivia thread

What is Erica's dogs name....Gabriella

What did Jun cook Saturday..meatloaf then Halibut

What pets does Ali have....a cat and a Bull dog

Fill in the blank.. Jee said ..

........I've bcome a badass _______ player

answer....solitare

Tobor7

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 01:08 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned that some of the best posts come from threads like these. Thanks you all!

Lancecrossfire

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 01:12 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I won't be getting to my answer till in the morning--sorry about that.

Tobor7

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 01:45 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Worth waiting for Lance. Well worth the wait.

Dogdoc

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 05:15 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned that Jee would make a great friend because he would put his life on the line for me. Tobor, I agree with what you said about what Jack said.

Naja

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 05:35 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned that I practically feel like a PC expert extrordinaire after listening to their computer discussion yesterday...LOL Did anybody hear that discussion?

Spectacle

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 05:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
-I learned that late night chat posts are not only entertaining, but critically important to the complete BB experience.
-That the moderators should send a letter of thanks to Tobor7 for all of the continued creativity and dedication he has brought to this site, which brings so many others great joy and laughter

Cupcake

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 05:50 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned that I miss Dr. Will. No other HG has ever been so deceitful, entertaining, charming, funny and clever.

Tresbien

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 06:09 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned that even in a person I find obnoxious and would not want to associate with there can be some fine qualities.

Puzzled

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 07:39 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned that the most important thing in life is to own a Porsche and two Rolexes.

Phoebemonica28

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 08:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Oooh, I learned that Tobor7 has one of the cutest dogs I've seen! How adorable!

And I second Cupcake's sentiment of missing Dr. Will. I loved watching him. Brutally entertaining. He could actually tell people, "Um, I'm going to turn against you if you keep me" and then they would turn around and keep him anyway. Superb.

I learned that no matter what, picking your nose and repeatedly name-dropping "Carmen Electra" will somehow allow you to progress very far in the game.

I learned that I must never, ever, ever allow the world to see me in a bathing suit, because after the attacks that Jun got for *her* physique, I think I would be tarred and feathered and run out of town (or the country)!

I learned that Pepto Bismol apparently makes a clothing line, and Erika is its spokesmodel, but I still love her anyway. Sins of the overpinkness forgiven.

I learned that Leo DiCaprio can get away with proclaiming "I'm the king of the world"; but it just isn't cool when someone NOT in a movie about a sinking ship adopts that attitude and repeatedly informs the world that he is "the MAN" and a "force to be reckoned with".

I learned that I love these boards. Love 'em. And my addiction to BB4 has more to do with my need for these BOARDS than for the TV show!

Marcie_B

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 09:30 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I second that addiction to this board, Phoe!

I've learned that even the most insignificant detail learned about a total stranger can set dozens of people off into a discussion vortex.

Keep it up, TVCH Clubbers, it makes my summer!

Bonzacat

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 09:35 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Yes, yes.... I learned that the BB experience is enhanced to the Power of Jee by the combination of the TVCH boards/members (NEVER a yawn) and the live feeds (even if they are a yawn at times).

Elaine

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 09:36 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned that I would never take a bribe to help/save myself. I actually learned this from Binky (and always wanted to tell him). His misery proved that nothing could make such shame worth it.

Tobor7

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 10:54 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I've learned that when it comes to money, people are a heck of a lot more tolerant of bad behavior, language, slurs etc., than they are when there is nothing of value to them at stake.

Imz

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 11:24 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I learned no matter how turned off I am by someone’s personality (Ali), a good bathtub shaving scene will help me see through their faults and appreciate what they have to offer. Did anyone else see that? I’m still a little worked up over it.

Tobor7

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 11:47 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I saw that. (So that's how it's done?)

Catfat

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
IMZ said:
"I learned no matter how turned off I am by someone’s personality (Ali), a good bathtub shaving scene will help me see through their faults and appreciate what they have to offer. Did anyone else see that? I’m still a little worked up over it. "
Is that what whe was doing? I thought it was a gynocological self-exam. Or maybe she was trying out for a porno film. Bwahahaha.

Lancecrossfire

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I’ve learned a lot from BB and the other reality shows. I’ve also believed a number of things and through these shows had my beliefs confirmed. These are things that I will take with me all through life, and I hope, will apply them to my situations. A couple of things right up front that I need to say so I don’t have to say it with each lesson I’ve learned or been shown I was right (or wrong). One is that most are generalities—they don’t apply to every single situation, nor is everyone like what I’ll say. No entire gender, race, age group, etc all alike, all bad, all good. Some folks have a clue, some don’t. So I’m not making a statement that is all or nothing—just generalities that seem to hold up frequently.

Next, by definition these lessons are narrow in scope because of the people they pick for such games as BB, Survivor, Amazing Race, Mole, etc. There are lots of types we don’t get to see, and lots of combinations we don’t see (all nice people will never happen, for instance). But that is the reality of reality TV—life isn’t made up of just one type of person.

So onward to what life lessons I’ve learn (or had verified) from BB (and the other shows).

I’ve learned that people will react differently to different sets of rules. In BB1, it was the TV audience that voted to boot people out. Had BB 1 been set up like the ones after it, we would have seen them play the game much differently.

I’ve had it verified that you can’t please everyone with any one thing. BB is a game. Yet it’s also created to entertain. BB the game can be boring and tedious—but many people don’t want to see that. Many want excitement, drama, fun, etc. It’s a fine line to walk, and virtually impossible to provide both a great game and great entertainment.

I’ve learned that looks count—and the count for a heck of a lot. That goes for both genders. People want to see others who are attractive. And sadly, people use pure looks to judge and evaluate the worth of a person.

I’ve learned that age counts. Older people are looked at much differently in these games than younger ones—at least the way they are set up. It’s ok for a younger person to flaunt what they’ve got, but the older person better not notice it. In that same line, I’ve learned that an older person can’t win no matter their approach—if they don’t try to fit in, they are put down for not trying and being aloof. If they try to ft it, they are put down for being old and trying to act young. Or they are put down for being a pervert, or something as equally as good as that. George came the closest to succeeding, and I think it was because he was a kid at heart.

I’ve learned that for a lot of folks, they have no idea how good they have it and how well off they are. 1 day on PB&J may be more than many people in the world will get for a week—yet they moan and complain about not getting real food.

I’ve learned that telling lies, backstabbing, and such tactics work better than being honest, upfront and straightforward. That is a generality—please remember that. Just as in life, it’s the suck ups and manipulators of the truth who get ahead, get promotions, win games, and win over people. It’s a very sad lesson from my perspective.

I’ve learned the above is correct for a number of reasons. Ego, insecurities, laziness, and other things. Also, I’ve come to learn that people aren’t practiced at getting the complete and straight forward truth, so it’s tougher to process and not take personally. Jack Nicholson was right when he said people can’t handle the truth. It seems in many cases they can’t—the truth gets you tossed out of the game.

I’ve learned that people will do what works. If they have a boss or have someone in the game who responds well to sucking up, they will use it. So, who do we “blame” for many of these behaviors?? The person who uses them, or the person who responds in a positive manner to them? After all, the person using them may only do so because it doesn’t get them fired, or because it may get them 500K in a game.

I’ve learned that respect for people and for the “game” is often not given. I don’t know if it’s the way BB is set up, or just because of the people picked to play. There isn’t a lot of respect for each other.

I’ve learned that in order to do something bad to someone (ok, not really bad, but something like nominate them or evict them) people seem to have this strong need to create reasons to hate the person and make them to be some kind of monster. This happens in life too—but I didn’t realize the connection until BB and Survivor. For some reason people can’t make it about an issue. It has to be about them snoring too loud, being too egotistical, being too fat, being too old, too young---being too something. And in the end, it’s never the reason really used to the person’s face. It would seem not only can people not handle the truth, they also can’t handle giving it out.

I’ve learned that these individual games can’t be played without alliances—and that in the game of life this is sadly so very true. In watching BB and Survivor, which are games where there is only one person who wins, no one will take on the game as an individual and not align with someone else.

I’ve learned that all too often it’s about what we get rather than what we give. These people would want every Christmas gift for themselves, without a thought of giving something to someone else.

I’ve learned that boredom and isolation have dramatic affects on people—that they can be huge sources of stress. In the same line of thinking, I’ve learned that the young often don’t use reflection of thought as a tool. They don’t sit and just think and compare past experiences to what they are going through. It seems they need to have constant input taking place or they go nuts. Life isn’t always about having fun and having something to do.

I’ve learned that BB is very special because it’s available to us 24 hours a day. It would be completely different if they showed it once a week on TV for an hour. No matter how boring it is most of the time (they sleep, they eat, they shower, etc), we seem to like being able to watch others.

I’ve learned that the people who watch it react much the same as the way the people are playing it. When it gets ugly, the board gets ugly. When not much is going on, the board slows way down. We mimic the game and the tone it takes. It would seem that there may be a corollary to life itself—we take on the way the surroundings are going. Yet, we can choose to not do so—when it’s negative around us, we have the ability to do something positive and not become like the rest of those around us. And as I’ve learned, all to often we choose not to do that—we chose to follow along.

I’ve learned that in BB, it becomes very personal—maybe because the game is about human nature under duress of being removed from society. And we too become very personal. People become sluts, ••••••, jerks, asses, perverts, racists—all sorts of horrible things—yet none of those descriptors has anything to do with the issue of someone playing the game—the game of living in the same house as someone else. And in many cases they result because of something I mentioned above—having to create reasons to get rid of someone. Accusations are a powerful weapon. I’ve most definitely learned that one.

I’ve learned these games allow a person to get so much more than just a ranking in the game and a certain amount of money. I am 100% sure life is the same way, if we just stopped to think about it. There is so much more to be had than the position we hold at work, the money we make, and the chance for moving up yet one more rank.

I’ve learned that some people figure this out in the course of the game, and some people do not. The ones that figure it out are much richer at the end of life than the ones who didn’t figure it out—including those like Brain in Survivor who won the million but focused so much on just playing the game that he got nothing else from the experience.

I’ve learned that artificial setting often create artificial friendships and relationships. People who are aware of that leave knowing they must approach the friendship/relationship from anew and basically start all over. Those that don’t realize it end up like Mike and Krista. Even those that do realize it can have that happen—just ask Eric and Lisa. But at least they realized it and took the right approach. If it could have worked for them, it would have because the knew they needed to get to know each other again in the real world.

I’ve had it confirmed by these shows that wisdom is indeed the greatest of all tools we can posses.

I’ve learned that often, youth does not really respect their elders—or at least feel that they can learn anything of value from them. This may at least in part explain why the same mistakes in life are made over and over again.

I’ve had it confirmed by these games that all too often people don’t take responsibility for their words and actions—it’s always the fault of someone or something else.

I’ve learned that religion is an extremely hot button in these games—for both the players and those watching.

I’ve learned that sexual orientation is a hot topic and seems to be a curiosity, even though it has absolutely nothing to do with the game. Seems to be that way in life as well.

I’ve learned from BB that people can be very adaptive, and need to be in order to change with the changes of the game. I’ve learned that by not following the rules consistently, the game of BB is much harder to play. As would be the game of life.

I’ve learned that people have to have something to rally around. They have to rally around each other, the game or something. In BB1, it was the HG’s against the BB folks. George just about had them convinced to walk out. Because the HG’s had to have someone to play against—because they couldn’t play against those who voted them out—us, the viewing audience. So they felt like BB was against them. Again, the inconsistency of applying the rules didn’t help that either.

I’ve confirmed that humans are creatures of what is familiar. We like what is familiar so much we often stay in bad situations to have that. We have a tough time breaking away and going for what is better for us, even though it may be very unfamiliar.

I’ve learned that after the game is over, there is an empty feeling left in the pit of your stomach, and the only way to get it to go away is to get involved in another game of some sort. Definitely a good lesson to know for all of life.

Hamsterlady

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow! Great post Lance. :)

Catfat

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lance, what a great post--with your permission, I'd like to send it to a friend. Maybe I'll print it off and pin it to my wall.
Smooches!

Jmm

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lance,

xx

Lancecrossfire

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Cat, you are more than welcome to show it to anyone you wish. The observations are not mine to claim--they are out there for anyone to notice--I'm sure I missed a lot.:)

Zachsmom

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 12:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
excellent post Lance!

Tobor7

Monday, September 01, 2003 - 01:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
100 Finally got one.

Great post Lance. I'll get some thoughts on it later.