I agree with everything you said. ^^
I've watched BB since season 1. The show has changed SO much, and really not for the better.
Cody wanted Paul out - they ALL did. Cody had a shot at it and took it. If CBS hadn't given Paul multiple weeks of safety, he would've been gone immediately. (Even if that vote was legit, CBS HAD to know Paul would win.) Can you imagine what a different house it would've been if Paul had exited stage left almost as soon as he arrived? Or, what if Paul hadn't had such a chip on his shoulder and decided to work with Cody? Completely different game. And I daresay a much easier game to stomach. I've been so disappointed this year in what people have been doing, saying, and what CBS has allowed to continue.
Here's the thing about Cody and his ability to shut out so much of that stuff. He's a Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine. I'm married to one. My husband never had to go into combat thankfully, but the USMC literally strips you down and builds you back up. Being screamed at? Nothing. That happens before breakfast. Daily. People saying horrible things to you? Also a non-event. One of the reasons they do that stuff is so you learn how to deal with words. You learn how to focus. You learn what CAN hurt you and what CAN'T. Cody knows that their idiocy can't hurt him, so he just shuts them out. I think he's shown great restraint - more than I would've. He rushed to Jess's defense because he cares about her. He doesn't know how to handle someone who doesn't want him to fix things.
To be fair, I'm having a hard time really liking anyone this year. Last year, I got a good kick out of Paul and his "friendship" antics. There's been no friendship this year. Just Paul bossing everyone around and acting like a petulant child when he doesn't get his way. The rest of them are pretty much sheep. For people who call themselves "superfans," they have no clue what's going on and how to play the game.