People & Violence

Humans are a strange bunch. Out of all the species in the world we are by far the oddest, most misunderstood creatures, and among our many quirky traits there is a love for violence and destruction. For some reason both are highly amusing to us yet there is no sure answer as to why we like watching violent and barbaric acts. The market for violence is strong in America as illustrated by the success of shows such as: Max X, Jackass, Wild Boyz, Most Shocking, Whacked Out Sports and a large variety of others. Violent movies are also big money in America as seen by the decapitation-filled 300 that raked in $70 million in only 3 days.

However, this phenomenon is not purely a modern obsession; the Gladiator games of ancient Rome paved the way for sports like Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts and other events that exhibit two brutes pounding on each other for a crowd of thousands. Even in modern day arenas for blood sports people will often boo if the fight does not involve someone getting beaten to the point where they end up gaining an extra 21^st chromosome. People simply love watching other people get hurt. Nevertheless, I have a solution that will satisfy not only America's desire for blood, but for money and reality television.

Instead of pitting two trained fighters against each other, take random people off the street who are willing to make a couple grand to be beaten into oblivion on national television and have them face someone like Chuck Liddell. I guarantee there are many willing participants out there who would have no problem putting their dignity aside in order to have their face seen on television. And who cares if those willing citizens happen to be crackheads; all that means is more entertainment for the audience.

Not only will this be an easy reality television show to produce, but the market value for it would be abnormally high. The demand is strong as it has always been, and with legal documents such as waivers, the only problems that would arise would be self-righteous religious loons claiming it is immoral and sends a negative message to children. But with low credibility due to their desire to exterminate gays and other people deemed as heathens, the show would roll over those ignorant slugs like a pebble in the road. Not to mention almost everything in this country sends a negative message children, which is why parents need to stop using television and video games to raise their children, but alas that is another article.

While an Iron Chef themed format that would replace cooking with fighting would bring in big ratings, it would force the UFC and other blood sports to incorporate new styles of fights as a means to keep up. My suggestion for that is to take a page out of the action theater sport known as professional wrestling. Instead of 1-on-1 battles have free-for-all events that throw 6 competitors into the octagon at once. The last man to avoid being knocked out or tapped out would be crowned the winner. In all actuality this country is thirsting for a return of the Gladiator events. We want violence and we want it in excess. However, since we are civilized people instead of fights to the death it will be fights to unconsciousness. Then again battles of man versus animals will have to end in the death of the animal as a means to show our superiority as the dominant species. Just think about it, the market is prime and there are boatloads of money to be made from violence, so why not?