For me, @survivorAU is For me is simply the greatest game ever invented by humans.
It combines all the strategy and game-theory of a chess match with the hardest CrossFit class you’ve ever done, with all the delicate diplomacy of an intergovernmental climate conference, all while camping for 55 days in the wild in conditions that would make Bear Grylls flinch.
And it’s widely accepted that the greatest player to have ever played the game is an Australian man, whom you may know as @kinggeorgeofbankstown.
To describe him, I would need to tell you about how there were a few times that I played scrabble with the heavy hitters there in Washington square park in NYC, and next to us there were some chess tables.
The players there were absolute weapons. The kind of chess players who could walk past another game, and without breaking step, glance down at the board and say “Black wins in six” before carrying on with their day.
That is what George is like with people.
A former political operative for the State Government, George Mladenov astounded viewers with his incredible game theory and devastating manipulation skills.
When you check out the episode, you’re going to learn some fascinating things about not only survivor, but also politics, visualisation, negotiation, timing your moves for maximum impact, and surprisingly - poker.
I was over the moon to have George come to my house.
Enjoy an audience with the King.
00:00 Introduction
03:54 Interview start
03:56 Career background
07:31 Getting onto reality TV
10:51 His gameplay strategies
15:54 Survivor as a Game of Politics
24:01 Positive manipulation
30:22 Decision making and poker
33:31 Is manipulation conditioned out of us?
42:20 Acceptance of Different Perspectives
48:15 Staying calm in difficult interactions
53:56 Advice on negotiations