LAST EDITED ON 05-25-15 AT 10:55 PM (EST)

Art by Karen Mackenzie

The Premise
You cannot change who you are. Eventually your true nature will win out — especially when you’re deprived of food and energy and you’re out in the open, trying to figure out a way to get along with people you don’t know if you can trust. We all have our set reactions, and that’s hard to suppress. If I’m a born leader, it’s hard for me to take a back seat. If I’m a follower by nature, it’s hard for me to lead. ~ Jeff Probst

Signs of Survival uses Astrology’s Sun Sign Profiles
(vetted over thousands of years)
to identify, group, chart and analyze the behavioral histories of those twelve distinct societies within the Game.
And - experts that you are - everyone with a birthday is encouraged to join this discussion.

Note:

Psychometric Profiles rely heavily upon self-reported data to sort individuals into
- most commonly, sixteen -
definitively-labeled Personality Types.
Astrology’s Sun Sign Profiles, on the other hand, rely solely upon a set of objective facts
– the month, day, year, place (and time) of birth -
to accomplish the same task.

Edited-In

I am not an Astrologer. I am not even a student or amateur practitioner of the Art | Science | Craft. Beyond an intrigued layman's familiarity with its Sign Profiles, I, very literally, know nothing about it. And I am certainly not qualified to defend Astrology from its critics.

I am, however, quite comfortable with my use of those Profiles here because ...

I spent decades of my life within the sales industry - where psychometric personality typing | aptitude testing is virtually a religion and sharing the personal information gleaned from those processes is a prevalent professional and social ritual. And it wasn't long into the first of those decades that I began to notice the frequency with which Myers-Briggs (et al) inventories very closely resemble the Sun Sign vignettes that I first read as a teen. So closely, in fact, that in most instances one could substitute the latter for the former and save everyone involved a great deal of angst, time and money.

But, the moment that CBS begins releasing its behavioral-testing results for Survivor candidates | players to the public, I promise that I'll use those instead ...

An experiment: Complete an MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) Questionnaire (or another currently-trending behavioral survey) and compare it to your Sun Sign Profile found here or to another found across a spectrum of thousands of sites dedicated to Astrology.

Note: I have, in a great many instances, refused to participate in psychometric testing in a professional setting. Despite the vigorous protestations of psychologists | sociologists with a lucrative stake in their sales to the contrary, I think that self-reporting platforms are too easily manipulated. And too often, I think, corporate entities lack personnel and/or officers with adequate education and training, and/or objectivity, to use their results productively. Or even responsibly.

Note:

From Borneo through Heroes v Villains, I was able to rely on CBS biographies for birthdates. But from Nicaragua forward
I’ve had to rely on a patchwork of sources to produce what I believe are the most accurate compilations possible.
And with that in mind,
I will continue to make corrections when they are necessary and … carry on.

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The Basics

Astrology groups personalities, first, by the common innate traits and behaviors of the natives of each of the twelve Astronomy-inspired
Sun Signs
Keyword – Ego

Astrology then places each of the twelve in one of four groups of three Sun Signs defined by the characteristics of the four Philosophy-inspired
Elements
Keyword – Temperament

The Element Earth - These three practical and industrious Signs are Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo.
The Element Water - These three emotional and intuitive Signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

The Element Fire – These three charismatic and spontaneous Signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
The Element Air – These three intellectual and balanced Signs are Libra, Gemini and Aquarius

Note:

The personalities of the three Sun Signs within
an Element are said to be compatible with each other.
And the Elements of Earth and Water (E&W) and of Fire and Air (F&A)
are considered to be complementary of one another
and in opposition to the other pair.

Grouping and then analyzing the performances of Survivor’s Sun Signs by
The naturally – opposed duos of E&W and F&A exposes
the unmistakable fact that in 88% (21 of 24) of the completed Seasons that have been cast with Majority/Minority populations
a member of the dominant psychological culture won the Game.

The three exceptions to the Majority Wins Rule have been
Tina | Capricorn (The Outback), Yul | Aquarius (Cook Islands) and Jud | Gemini (Nicaragua).

Astrology further identifies and describes each of the three Sun Signs within an Element by the Sign’s Psychology-inspired
Mode (or Quality)
Keyword: Behavior

The initiative Cardinal Signs approach new environments with a zest for beginning new activities and pursuing new accomplishments.
Earth’s Cardinal Sign is Capricorn. Water’s Cardinal Sign is Cancer.
Fire’s Cardinal Sign is Aries.And Air’s Cardinal Sign is Libra.

The versatile Mutable Signs are able to see life from many perspectives.
As a result, they are flexible, adaptable and restless: there is a touch of urgency and haste in their natures.
Earth’s Mutable Sign is Virgo. Water’s Mutable Sign is Pisces.
Fire’s Mutable Sign is Sagittarius.And Air’s Mutable Sign is Gemini.

The steadfast Fixed Signs dig in. And they are respected for their self-containment and sense of purpose.
However, change is difficult for them, and as a result, they have a reputation for being stubborn.
Earth’s Fixed Sign is Taurus. Water’s Fixed Sign is Scorpio.
Fire’s Fixed Sign is Leo. And Air’s Fixed Sign is Aquarius.

Note:

You will also see within the Sun Sign Profiles and on Tribal Charts the Survivor-inspired
Roles
Keyword: Place.

The Sun Sign Profiles of the Superior Signs – Capricorn (Cardinal Earth), Cancer (Cardinal Water), Scorpio (Fixed Water) and Leo (Fixed Fire) – indicate that their natives are most comfortable – and function most effectively – in a position of leadership.

The Sun Sign Profiles of the Subordinate Signs–Taurus (Fixed Earth), Virgo (Mutable Earth), Pisces (Mutable Water) and Gemini (Mutable Air)–
indicate that these personalities are most comfortable – and function most effectively – in sheltered (supportive or specialized) positions.

And the Sun Sign Profiles of the Soloist Signs – Aries (Cardinal Fire), Sagittarius (Mutable Fire), Libra (Cardinal Air) and Aquarius (Fixed Air) – indicate that these folks are most comfortable – and function most effectively – in autonomous (detached or semi-detached) positions.

Note:
The Roles are my invention and are meant to be a lay addendum to the Signs’ Astrologic identities:
A shorthand developed from their Sun Sign Profiles that uses familiar terms to indicate the hierarchal positions
most natural (and comfortable) to their natives.

Edited-In

During Guatemala, a contributor to Veruca Salt's Editing Thread who many of you may remember – Whole Lotta Rosie – speaking of another once-prolific member of our community, made this observation in Signs of Survival:

KOB always does a great job on the Nash Equilibrium, and this ties in very well. Subordinates, Soloists, and Superiors is strategy defined; according to Nash..

And I so very much appreciated the mention of a concept that I had created in the same breath as a reference to the Bluefield, WV native’s work.

However, I never really agreed with the comparison. Because, if I understand Game Theory correctly, Dr. Nash’s proposition was that each of the players within a Game has available to them a buffet of three principal Strategies – Leader, Follower and Outsider – from which to choose throughout game-play.

But, I think of Superior, Subordinate and Soloist, not as Strategies, but as innate behavioral Identities that are – particularly in a crisis environment – difficult, if not impossible, to discard (see the Premise | Quote at the top of this post):

That – unlike Nash’s strategy-defined player who begins the Game as a Leader, continues it as a Follower and concludes it as an Outsider – the Superior who elects to behave as would a Subordinate who then elects to behave as would a Soloist remains a Superior – intrinsic characteristics, traits and behaviors intact … and conflicted.

In short: I think that players who (are able to) stay within their own psychological skin throughout the Game are, as a general rule, much more successful at it.

Note: This Season’s winner is, of course, a very glaring – and very conflicted – exception to that rule.

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The Players Guide to Worlds Apart

Finally, before we move on to our look back at this past Season,
below is a quick-reference Guide to its Players and their Signs, Elements, Modes and Roles.
Clicking on the links in the right-hand column will access the Sun Sign Profiles of each of Worlds Apart’s Survivors.

CAPRICORN Nina, So VIRGO Lindsey, Rodney TAURUS Kelly CANCER Hali PISCES Shirin, Tyler SCORPIO Absent ARIES Max SAGITTARIUS Sierra LEO Joaquin, Mike Will LIBRA Carolyn, Joe GEMINI Absent AQUARIUS Dan, Jenn Vince

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And One Last Note

I’m going to post the outlines for each of the segments of the review of Worlds Apart (and the snapshots of Movers, Makers and Shakers) tonight and edit-in my comments over the next several days – it’s been a busy weekend.

I hope that, as I do that , you’ll add your thoughts about the Season too.

Because, although the Reunion was (for me) a disappointment, I thought that the last few days of the Game were fascinating from a variety of viewpoints. Not least, through the prism of its Sun Signs. And I’m really looking forward to reading your impressions.

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