How did the lowest standards for accuracy and authenticity, like those of professional wrestling, become the standards for cable news, politics, and the U.S. federal government? World leading scholars and historians offer insights and clues in this "cultural forensics" investigation into how professional wrestling and its imitators transformed media, and thus all aspects of American life that depend on media.
Wrestling Darkness (available with video via https://ericbyler.substack.com) begins with cultural shift that began with the runaway success of the World Wrestling Foundation (WWF) in the 1980s. Wrestling's engrossing approach to melodrama — reflecting current political conflicts with scripted scenes and violent choreography prescribing good guys, bad guys and avenues for fan participation — was then emulated by the Fox News channel, countless reality TV programs, and TV talk shows, also with meteoric success.
Social media platforms have since deployed addictive algorithms that exploit social and cultural insecurities, turning thousands of influencers into wrestlers with more (or sometimes less) clothing. Artificial intelligence (AI) now generates artificial "content" further compounds deep divisions and spreads conspiracy theories that weaken our country, our culture, and our democracy.
Cultural literacy in 2025 requires a basic understanding of wrestling, its parlance, and its history. It helps explain how we became the society we are, and provides insights and guidance for those who wish to change it. Every American, even those who have never seen professional wrestling, is living in the world that wrestling made possible. <br/><br/><a href="https://ericbyler.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">ericbyler.substack.com</a>