A DIFFERENT WINDOW; WHAT'S IT WORTH? REFLECTIONS ON 'SURVIVOR'

I'm sure everyone has heard of the new television show called Survivor. I find this show to be amusing and at the same time a study in human nature.

J.B. Phillips, author of God Our Contemporary, remarks "The deep fundamental problems of human life are really neither intellectual nor technical ... they are problems of human relationships."

One man was voted off the island because he refused to acknowledge the rights of others on the island. This man was strong and persistent; no doubt if he had been on the island alone, he would have survived out of sheer determination. But he refused to consider the needs of the others and washed his clothes in the community drinking water. No individual has true freedom as long as he exists in a society with other people.

J.B. Phillips calls one chapter of his book "Basic Needs." He says "... human beings need above all love, security, and significance ... everybody needs to feel they hold a significant place in human society."

To be rejected is the most devastating thing that could happen to anyone. Some societies, which we call primitive, (but sometimes could learn from) use banishment rather than the death penalty as the supreme punishment. The feeling of being judged "not acceptable" cuts to the heart. It helps me to understand a little better why two young men would feel so rejected that they lashed out at their society with violence. They were saying "Look at me acknowledge my existence." They chose to gain acknowledgment in a way that led to total rejection, but they did have their existence acknowledged. To feel helpless in the face of rejection is a truly demeaning, dehumanizing feeling.

The contestants understand that they are being judged by their teammates. It is interesting to see how their different personalities deal with this threat. One states his value to his team by saying "I catch fish." While another said "I may not catch fish, but I'm out there every day trying to. Besides, I'm funny; I make you laugh." Humans need more than basic subsistence; they also desire moments when the struggle for physical life is put aside. Sometimes we need to feed the spirit more than we need to feed the body.

My heart went out to the one who was kicked off the island in the June 14 episode. Her words "I ate bugs for you guys" was a plea to her teammates to acknowledge her significance. Didn't she remember her kindergarten days when a child is pushed by his peers to do something they consider outside normal behavior, such as eat dirt?

Even though the chosen one doesn't want to do it and is revolted by the idea, he does it anyway. His classmates don't see his submissiveness as reason for approval. But only as a further proof of his undesirableness. Some brave and noble deeds are not appreciated. In some cases the only one who appreciates a martyr is the martyr himself.

When the challenge was presented on the June 14 episode, the players knew it would involve water. One of the contestants made the comment that water was his weakest point; he was not good in water and the other team members would have to compensate for his weakness. He said "But that is what teamwork is all bout."

That is what a truly civilized society is all about. We need to recognize the weakness of others, but support and uphold them in spite of it. In doing that, we validate the significance of a person. Condemning another's weakness does not help him overcome his weakness. Being aware of weakness while honoring worth in other areas helps a person apply his strength to overcome his weaknesses and upholds his value to humanity. Who can truly label a behavior as weak, anyway? What would seem a weakness could become a strength, depending on the circumstances. I may need your weakness sometimes and your strength at other times.

I eagerly wait for the next episode of Survivors. As the episodes unfold, we may be able to add to life's great truism. I have already added some phrases to mine: "Sometimes it just doesn't benefit you to eat bugs" and "Don't ever wash your clothes in the drinking water."