7 comments

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  Michael S Black

  2 years ago

  Some people want to be the barbarians clamoring at the gate, some want to be the people cowering behind the gate...
  
  Some of us want to be the people waiting inside the gate, ready to beat the everliving hell outta the barbarians for disrupting our day :)
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  CarlM

  2 years ago

  I remain befuddled how people can enjoy a "sport" in which they themselves asert that it is only a matter of time before someone gets "really hurt."
  
  I knew a guy in college who loved Professional Wrestling. It wasn't so much that he was entertained by it that bothered me (different people are amused by different things), but HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS REAL. That he thought that the violence was REAL and he STILL LOVED IT is what bothered me. I am DEEPLY disturbed by the fact that people are entertained by real violence (or what they perceive as real violence).
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  Tim F.

  2 years ago

  To Carl M. -
  
  "Vicariously I live while the whole world dies."
  
  I believe that humans are naturally violent, and that that violence must surface somehow. Ninety percent of the world vicariously lives out violent urges by watching violent shows or playing violent games. That's why the quiet folks are the ones you have to watch out for.
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  Rick

  2 years ago

  Life is violent.
  While I can understand disliking violence upon those that do not choose it... are you more disturbed by those that choose to be violent or watch them? Where does the moral issue arise in watching someone voluntarily get hurt?
  
  While I do not watch it myself I find it interesting that the morality of the viewer and not the one performing is being called into question so stringently.
  
  Just my .02
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  CarlM

  2 years ago

  Rick, I never said it was a moral issue. Certainly things other than moral issues can be deeply disturbing. What two adults choose to do is their business (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else). I choose not to accept that "life is violent" means that we need to seek it out, and it disturbs me that some CELEBRATE it. To me there IS a fundamental difference between the "performers" and the fans. You're correct to conclude that I see the fans' bloodlust as more disturbing.
  
  Tim, I would also dispute that ninety percent of the world vicariously lives out violent urges by watching violent shows or playing violent games, but I understand your point.
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  cooperati

  2 years ago

  it's also a matter of time before someone (else) gets seriously injured in a figure skating event. (yes, the media won't hound that type of tragedy. nor nascar, nor football, nor the inevitable fallout of a presidential candidacy, *cough*EDWARDS*cough*.)
  
  as for WWE style wrestling, what can be celebrated is the violence in the display of achieving athletic excellence, the risk involved in the pursuit of reaching for the pinnacle of one's ability, but it should also be noted that wrestling is a medium for rare sights to be seen, feats of endurance, great jumps and falls, men (and some women) pushing their bodies to the brink of disaster to engage a crowd in their limited drama.
  
  yet, MMA is without the acting, void of the supplemental plots and unfolding storylines. it is pure endurance, and ferocity. we as spectators, like to see what we might still be capable of, if we were put in that ring for whatever unholy reason.
  
  survival of the champion, that is worth the clamorous adoration of the multitude of fans.
  
  huzzah.
  
  -=T=-
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  MMA Jon

  2 years ago

  I believe that death has occurred in MMA already, but I'm not prepared to cite any example right now, mainly because that is not my intended point or topic here. I'd like to address the question, which is what would happen if a death occurs now. The answer is that the promoters insurance would cover the situation, as is the case in professional boxing too. All athletes are required to sign a waiver, and adhere to the rules of the sport. Everything is legitimate. In fact, the cartel that controls boxing insurance has a lock on promoters ability to get insurance, and by virtue that control extends to the ability to even have MMA in certain states. It's not well known, this subject though, that professional boxing circuits have caused much trouble for MMA as the two sports are competitive for ticket sales, where MMA is starting to take a lead. Boxing has asserted is mafioso control over the insurance to limit and scale back MMA in many ways. This hasn't deterred MMA though, who has begun to establish it's own insurance cartel.
  
  So anyways, death is one of those bullet points in the waiver that every competitor initials, and then signs at the bottom. It's a standard subject, nothing to see here....
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