The concept of Redemption Island is pretty straightforward. Survivors need to dig deep and do whatever it takes to earn their way back into the game. The defeated burn their buffs on their way out because, as tough competitors, they have earned that honor.
The supposed purpose of hasbeens being allowed to play Survivor a second (or third, or fourth) time is to give them an opportunity to redeem themselves of prior game play or behavior. Hasbeens are not required to earn these opportunities.
Perhaps they should be.
Colton Cumbie was so repulsive when he played Survivor: One World that his initial display of good behavior, and subsequent fireside spilling of his guts and his tears, seemed contrived.
It took less than a week for Colton to destroy any chance he may have had at the redemption that he was pretending to seek. He resorted to the same tactics that he had employed before faking appendicitis in order to quit One World...creating chaos, then attempting to control whoever survives it. He really should have known better than to try to run the same game on a bunch of veterans, and should consider himself fortunate that they were as nice about it as they were.
Jeff was not so nice. When a sniveling Colton announced that he was quitting, Jeff called him selfish for leaving his tribe a member short, and accused him of quitting Survivor a second time because that's what Colton does when he doesn't get his way.
And then Jeff banished the whiny, narcissistic agitator, denying him the honor of burning his buff.
Perhaps now Survivor's crack production team will be more selective about who it gives second chances to.
