LAST EDITED ON 10-24-10 AT 01:28 PM (EST)
You won't be surprised to read that I don't agree: It's still the same game. It has evolved but it's still Outwit, Outplay, Outlast and "lying" has always been part of the strategy. It's like a war or even a football game, you can't be honest with your opponents and let them know your plans.
Did you know that the two Jennas were responsible for Grandma's "death"? True story from JFP himself: He saw how much sympathy JLew got in Borneo when she didn't receive any family video and when, in Amazon, Morasca got Jeff and everyone to let her have the letter from her sick mother. He saw a way to get the same sympathy by 'killing" Grandma. Nothing more than game evolution.
As for Sandra swearing on her kids, she was practically forced to do so by JFP who was swearing on his grandma. It was legitimate defense because, if she hadn't, she was out. Anyway, it isn't any different than what we see every day in real life politics and publicity.
And funny that you draw the line at S7 as if Pearl Island was resposible for all this. No one was better at lying than your favorite ex-porn star, puppy killer, car salesman, S5 winner Brian Heidik. He lied to Ted and Helen and, before you say it wasn't the same thing, I invite you to read this:
http://www.averdata.net/~locbaseb/funny/75.htm
In PI, JFP's lie was actually considered funny afterwards. No one, except Sandra (but she doesn't like nobody) had the level of hate that Helen had for Brian.
The second best liar I'd say was your other favorite BostonRob. He wasn't so bad in Marquesas where John was the big liar but he didn't need JFP to establish his gameplan in @SS. Even good guy Ethan had to lie to Silas and Clarence while "nice mom" Tina lied to Jerri and Amber at every turn.
And wasn't Chad in S9?! How did he manage to make the merge if he came in a season that occured after JFP and Sandra had "corrupted" the game?
As for:
>"the better FTC is the one
>where the player admits to doing
>whatever it took to win."
We must not be watching the same show because that only worked for Todd and maybe Parvati. All the other recent winners: Yul, Earl, Bob, JT, Natalie and Sandra won the old fashion way: They were more liked than their opponents.
BTW, I think Brenda is smart because she managed to build bonds with everyone on her tribe to the point that KB didn't realize she was still an outsider for having targeted Brenda while Marty thought he had made inroads within the group!
Outwiting isn't simply lying, it is making others believe that you are not against them in a game where EVERYONE is against each other.
Ils sont fous, ces Romains!
Thanks Tribe!