Tribute To The Eliminated

At first I was not going to write about Wes leaving the Challenge. It seems as if he’s none too popular amongst the players here, and I have already written much about him. Sometimes less is more.

But since I have things to say and since Jon has encouraged someone to eulogize his passing, I figured, what the heck. I can pull out of my back pocket something pithy to send off the freckled red head. So here goes.

Wes I’m proud of you. It’s been an enjoyable month for me to follow your exploits, and while you came up short, it was an interesting time. When you first started these challenges, you were the rookie underdog that got picked on all the time but you stood your ground. They kept sending you into the elimination rounds, and you kept fighting your way back. Here’s to not going away quietly into the night, and I hope you grow and mature as a person, and that you continue to transition from the underdog into a leader type for these games. You have a lot to work on, but if you are earnest and sincere, then you will find allies along the way.

What makes these challenges interesting for me, is watching the social interactions and dynamics unfold. It’s not all about back-stabbing and drama, as there are plenty of touching and feel-good moments. Nonetheless, I would not want to be in any of their shoes, as you’d really have to be thick-skinned to survive such a hostile and shark-infested waters type of environment with people competing for spots and air-time. Watching what always happens to the Rookies, or to the perennial easy targets like a Beth or Tonya, makes me wonder what would happen to myself.

When it comes to friends, the close bosom buddy type, we can feel safe and rely on their support. Close friends will accept us for our faults and not hold them against us or judge us. However, as in life and in the various social groups that we belong to, not everyone is a close friend, or even a friend. In these social interaction circles, the judgment is quicker and more partial. Partial even to whims and fancies. And at one time or another, we’ve been on the wrong side of the fence. Perhaps we also know what it feels like to be excluded, or not accepted. To be rejected and to be not good enough.

It’s just something that happens, and for everyone’s sake, we should just pick up and move on, but it still hurts and stings like mofo. I'd rather suffer physical pain than emotional pain.

So here is Wes, placed in a house full of people that don’t like him and don’t accept him, and yet he survives. On a personal level, I’ve been in that situation before and it doesn’t feel good. I still feel a bit scared/scarred when I reminisce about the past. So I can relate to him.

I like Wes for those reasons. He hasn’t given in, and he hasn’t given up. He’s overconfident and arrogant, a bit out of touch with reality, has a low empathy/intuitive reading of how others feel. But he’s genuine and direct, speaks his mind and doesn’t beat around the bush. He’s not a mean person, he bullies the bullies but doesn’t harm the rookies. If I ever met him, I’d try to be friends with him.

So for now, I must say good-bye and fare-well to the Wes-man. It’s been a good challenge, you’ve given me points and you’ve given me quality 5-star reality TV. You rock. Go back to tending your yogurt shop with as much drama and relationship pentagons as you have brought to MTV. Don’t forget the mochi balls.

Adieu, et bonne chance!