WORLD Wrestling Entertainment – Wrestling’s Place in Modern Society by JPFIZZLE

jpfizzle

Pre-Show Stalwart
WORLD Wrestling Entertainment – Wrestling’s Place in Modern Society

My Mother often tells me of how my grand parents used to sit in front of the TV every Saturday to watch the Wrestling, not the WWE however, I believe it was World of Sport but either way it was pro wrestling, and they, my Grandparents watched it… I was devastated to find this out after they had died, sure we had some good bonding in the 10 – 15 years in which I knew them but there is bigger bond for me than when I find out that someone else out there is a pro Wrestling fan.

Anyone can into the world of pro Wrestling fandom with fair ease, I recently had the pleasure of sitting some of my truly adamant “Wrestling is boring, its pure fake” friends down in front of Wrestlemania and watched as they slowly allowed themselves to suspend there disbelief and get wrapped up in the show, take for example when Finlay or JBL (I forget which one) got hit with a trash can lid after doing the suicide dive, my friend who always claimed “Wrestling is so fake it’s untrue” jumped out of his seat and went “good God that must have gone wrong because he actually hit him!” He must have thought they where going to stop the show when Shelton took his bump through the ladder some 20 minutes later. He had some difficulty trying to explain that one away to himself, eventually he finally, like me, got completely wrapped up in the world WWE had created for us, and for the four hours that Wrestlemania lasted I had never, ever felt more of a bond with my 6 best friends, that includes music festivals, sleeping under the stars in the summer, countless BBQs, Bowling trips, trips to the sea side and everything. So that’s one place for Wrestling in modern society: In a world so confusing, so troubling, so expecting and so busy, it can be used as a way of bonding, as a tool to provide conversation and as a medium of escape into another world.

I refuse to believe that Wrestling is “Fake” of course, it’s scripted. The Wrestlers know who is going to win, and quite often so do the smart fans, but how can you call wrestling “fake.” Its two men, living breathing men, putting on a show LIVE on the screen or in front of your very eyes. If you got close enough at a live event you could reach out and touch them. How is that fake? A CGI Godzilla coming down to the ring, now that would be false, but to me Wrestling is a very real show. Much like I’d see a CGI film as fake and theatre as scripted drama is parallel o the way in which I feel about Wrestling. I know that the two men aren’t trying to hurt each other, but they are showing me a story, whether I like that story or not I will keep watching because quite frankly what I watch I find entertaining and I think I will for the rest of my life.

Many, many people feel the same, so what are the other important roles for Wrestling in a modern society?

Wrestling can be a fantastic advertising platform, not only for itself but for lots of things. I own the Creed – “Weathered” (sp?) album. I would not own this album had I not seen/ heard the “My Sacrifice” video packages the WWE/ F put together in the past. Many, many times I’ve heard a wrestlers theme music, take for example Randy Orton, and wanted to listen to that song, find out where I can get my hands on that song, and play that song over and over again, simply because it reminds me of Wrestling? Or because I can associate some form of good times with that song? I don’t know, but I like it. So therefore in a modern society Wrestling can be a good advertising platform. To go further, companies like skittles and snickers. I see those snacks and I hear the names of those snacks and they too remind me of JR on Monday Night Raw saying that the show is bought to us by, amongst other sponsors these two snacks. When I was slightly younger, I used to be keen to learn more about all of the American Football teams the Wrestlers mentioned, now I don’t feel this way as I am an English football fan, but I’m sure other fans are influenced by Wrestling in this way. So not only is wrestling an average advertising platform, it’s a huge, powerful thing with influence beyond which I can put into words.

I know most of what I know about American culture and American geography thanks to the WWE. I only know when Thanksgiving for example roles around when I see the special Thanksgiving show by WWE. What’s more just look at the influence Wrestling has all over the world! The Tribute to the troops show in Iraq for example.

There may be a part two to this article, but I don’t want to over do it, I would love to hear how important you think Wrestling is in a modern society. There may be a part two to this article should it get a fair response. Thank you for the opportunity to have written this and if it gets one viewer every time I write an article it will be worth it.

JP FIZZLE
 
Good article Fizzle, I am also one of those people who consider WWE to be a scripted show not fake. I get aggrivated when some people call it fake because they really are getting hit in the head with chairs, Finlay really did get crushed by that garbage can lid, I think that non wrestilng fans dont understand that. These wrestlers really do inflict pain on each other in the ring, they know who is going to win, they aren't necessarily trying to hurt each other like you said, but they are inflicting pain, which some people dont seem to understand. I basically repeated what you just said, but that is because I feel the same way about this general subject.
 

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