Quote:
Originally Posted by Double Down
I was really digging Maria during early merge episodes and then have soured on her recently and it was hard to put my finger on why, but I think I finally figured it out.. there is an entitlement to her that is really off putting.
Like she expects things to go her way, and then takes it really personally when they don’t. I have no doubt that part of what prompted her to go after Charlie tonight was him not taking her, regardless of her claim that she understood his decision. Or the way she was so upset and needed to be consoled after Venus said some mean old things about her at tribal. There have been a few other times as well where she has framed something happening as a personal slight, and has used it to try to gain sympathy. I don’t think it’s purposeful, but subconsciously finding ways to be a victim to her advantage. It’s textbook narcissistic behavior. There is also a cockiness to her when employing her strategy, like an overconfidence that the vote will go her way, which she had gotten up until tonight.
With others, there’s often some humility built in the uncertainty of the vote e.g. “I sure hope we pull this off tonight” or “it’s either me or you tonight , hopefully it’s you” but hers are always along the lines of “it’s your turn to go tonight”.
It’s all been rubbing me wrong for a minute now.
Interestingly enough, everyone left now (except Charlie maybe) has been on the receiving end of being left out of the majority, and have had to navigate their way back into the mix. It’ll be interesting to see how Maria handles it.
I know what rubs me wrong about her, and we have seen it before in other contestants. I think it is the whole, "I am different schtick....... This is not the way I am in real life, so playing deceptively is going to be really, really hard for me."
But, when it comes down to it, she "always" knew she was not taking Charlie to the end, and from what we saw from the edits, it did not seem that difficult for her at all to express and act on that.
As you noted, what
did seem difficult was having her feelings hurt by Venus and not getting a letter from home. What burns me a bit is that she is a Parent Coach. And while I don't know exactly what that is, I can very well imagine that part of her facilitating with parents includes advocating not sweating the small stuff, making the best of a bad situation, not dwelling on things beyond your control, accepting the consequences of your actions/decisions, etc.
So yeah, I am getting a pretty insincere/disingenuous vibe off her. Maybe it is because in her occupation she is used to controlling the agenda, and being the "specialist" or "expert," and with that she is probably rarely challenged.