I hear tell that wrestling is fake.

[Kane Knight]

I really think this is something we need to sort out once and for all. People dismiss wrestling as fake, then wonder why some idiot breaks his buddy's neck with a piledriver.

The problem with the "fake" label is less that it's false, and more that it tends to carry a footnote that it's safe. I mean, wrestling is staged (Which means it's fake inasmuchas being predetermined and the like), but injuries are very real. However, culturally (In the states at least) dismiss it as nothing more than soap-opera ballet.

And there are a lot of backyard-ballett related deaths, I know. But seriously. Soap Operas had their share of crazed fanatics, even though it was WELL known they were fake. This condemnation didn't really change much for soaps, why would it for wrestling? Clearly, it didn't as we've still got people hurting themselves.

Honestly, we need to wake the fuck up culturally, because the retard you save might be your son. Now, I don't care if two people knowingly get into a ring and perform wrestling moves in the backyard--It's stupid, but it's their lives. However, I've seen even intelligent people dmississ wrestling moves because the consensus seems to be that fake means they can't hurt people.

I've mentioned a couple of times on here that I've been a dummy in women's self-defense courses before, because I knew how to take a fall. Never got one of those cool foam idiot costumes, but that's beside the point. Even in padding or trained, something as simple as a staged fall can hurt. I know. I've fucked up and landed wrong. Now, I don't think anything like that would kill someone (Unless it was off a cage or onto a concrete surface or something), but extend that to moves which are normally performed by strong men maneuvering guys who know how to land. If a fall can be botched, expand that to a piledriver (And we KNOW they can be botched) or a DDT or a spinebuster or a suplex. The guy doing the move not only has to be strong, but needs expert help from the other guy. Hence assholes like Holly who can make someone look bad by going dead. And I haven't even gotten into the "high-rent" district. Most of these moves are staples...Or were until banned in the WWE.

I cna't asay the mentality is entirely unjustified. We treat it as fake, and the guys do these moves on each other, they must be harmless, right? It makes sense, even if it's not true.

The problem is it's the nonbeliever who are most problematic. Mainstream America, who says that it's fake, who dismisses it, who's never watched a match where someone was legitimately hurt or had to read about a painkiller-addicted wrestler dying in a hotel. It's difficult, however, to convince someone already predisposed to not believe in wrestling.

So what's the solution? I really think we should pay attention to the fact that many injuries do happen because of this "wrestling is fake" notion, and pro wrestling takes the blame in a way no "don't try this at home" disclaimer (Like the WWE aired only a couple of years ago) will ever diminish.

Open to suggestions (Short of breaking someone's neck with an improper piledriver).