Bobbin' for life

If we're not in a merge I think I'm history... even though I teach science. That's a little joke.
-Bob, Survivor Gabon

Bob Crowley is a remarkable man. He's wears every one of his 58 years on his face and yet he competes physically with those at their physical peak. He is clearly devoted to his chosen profession of teaching, yet he is also an accomplished outdoorsman. He has a large and loving family as evidenced by the letters he received from home and he's a friggin' log roll champion!

Then there's Randy Bailey. As self-described in his official bio he's "angry, blunt, mean and sarcastic", and "admits he's a train wreck with no living relatives besides an older brother, from whom he hasn't heard from in years." Wow. Seems like a real winner. However, though he has aged rather poorly in the looks department, he is actually quite the physical specimen given his middle age, regularly equaling or besting the younger cast members in challenges. In addition, he's deftly kept himself safe from tribal council sendoffs with a combination of clever alliances and ingenuity in camp.

Both have seen their best years pass them by yet both succeed in the game. How do they do it? Bob is a machine. Be it in camp or in the challenges, he never stops. You can see this is not just come ruse for the game either, his sinewy body has clearly been put through its paces with years of action and repetition. His natural ability and breadth of skills never fail to amaze. One gets the feeling that Bob would like to win the game as something of a personal test. The money or fame at stake is secondary to the challenge at hand and a loss would be chalked up as an educational experience rather than a disaster.

Randy, on the other hand, plays with a measured style should not be mistaken for lethargy as he has shown to be as strong and agile as any. He is clever and resourceful, as shown with his fashioning of fishing gear from fragments of his glasses. To me, he is reminiscent of a crocodile in that he'll lull you into ease with a lack of activity, then strike in a sudden flurry. His personality around camp certainly turns other off but he makes no apologies for his persona. His competitive spirit has no equal and is that of someone with nothing to lose and something to prove. I believe that he feels that his life would be validated with a win and therefore losing is not an option.

So what can we learn from this? I believe that there are two ways to deal with most situations. The Bob way is to play hard, try your best, and know that even if you fail you can take pride in the fact that you did things the right way. The Randy way is to take an opportunity and grab it by the throat, trying to exploit whatever advantage you can. This could provide an easy path to success, but in the event of failure, you must ask yourself if your course of action was worth it.

These two men are clearly polar opposites in life while producing startlingly similar results in the game of Survivor. The path Randy has chosen is easy to fall into, but results in lots of loneliness, pain, and a resentful attitude towards the world. The path Bob has chosen has left him happy, healthy, and surrounded by loved ones. I respect Bob and envy the honerable way he has lived his live and he is reaping the rewards accordingly. I pity Bob and the fruits of his actions are self-evident.

Think about this when presented with an obstacle in life. While sometimes it may be tempting to choose a Randy-like solution, I think the world would be a better place if more people could channel their inner Bob.