Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for PEOPLE.com since 2009. Follow him on Twitter @stephenfishbach
"They're so busy trying to get their own tribe members out right now. We're like, 'Okay, do what you gotta do, and we'll come in later.' "
– Taj George, Survivor: Tocantins
Survivor wears you down. It's day 11, and the contestants are totally spent. Their fat reserves are gone; they're listless and starving; they're beset by horrifying flies from beyond the gates of Hell. And the worst part is, the game's not even one third over.
Wednesday's episode was all about armor. Each of us, in our lives, puts on a brave face as we do battle with the world. When we're weak, we turn to our loved ones. When we're tired, we retreat into ourselves. But those aren't luxuries you're allowed in the ceaseless game-playing of Survivor. One of the major differences between good and bad players is who can keep their armor on even under that extreme duress.
source: People.com