Science is (has become) the group's whipping boy. There are now no devisive factions, it's the group against Science, with Makosi trying hard not to side but generally wanting to be with the group. No-one listens to him, and Derek is still actively talking over him even when Science is holding the talking stick.
Science has not become "the group's whipping boy" overnight. He has earned pariah status by systematically wearing down each person's tolerance with the drip-drip-drip of his one-way Chinese Water Torture sniping. I think it's that, more than the shouting, which has eroded any residual goodwill. The shouting is his response to any sort of challenge, however mild. When people are silently (but obviously) pissed off and not wanting to talk to him, he contents himself with pursuing them around the House and denying them any sort of respite from his self-aggrandising chatter.
"Yeah, run away and cry, 'cause that's your plan, yeah, you might fool everyone else but you ain't fooling me, 'cause I'm Science, S. C. I. E. N. C. E., I'm the master here, I'm mastering you etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc."
It's not surprising that individuals with schizophreniform 'commentary' voices often end up trying to kill themselves. It's the fact that there's no getting away from the sound of that voice. Science hasn't merely superglued himself to the talking stick; he's made the concept of the talking stick wholly redundant. The other housemates have not dismissed Science out of hand. On the contrary, they have tried, individually and collectively, to engage him in discussion in other ways - and have sometimes been successful. Clearly, however, the rewards for persisting with Science are outweighed by the incredible drain on one's patience resources, and most of them have stopped bothering.
I feel sorry for him because regardless of his faults, being on your own and 'the most hated' must be horrible, even Eugene has realised it's not good g*m*pl*n to talk to him. But Science is still taking it really well. No other housemate has ever had no-one on their side, even Nick because he was evicted.
I suspect Eugene's realising it's not good to talk to Science because Science is not good to talk to. Science generally prefers to talk at someone rather than with them; it's not a discussion he wants but an audience. Even Eugene, with his somewhat inadequate communication skills recognises someone with worse communication skills.
And even speaking as someone who's not been trapped in there with him for weeks on end, unable to get away from his remorseless commentary, I don't think he's "taking it well".
But Science has not yet resorted to crying in the diary room or to slagging people off secretly. Anyone with that amount of spirit should be supported.
Isn't this just a variant on last year's straight-talkaaaz thing? The idea that it's someone nobler or more 'genuine' to tell people whatever you think of them whenever you think it than it is to heed their feelings at all. Brutally frank expression is valued over tact or consideration for others, which is seen as two-faced. It's a common Big Brother theme. |
