Scopophilia

Sigmund Freud coined the term “Schaulust” to describe the sexual arousal gained from looking at or watching, particularly from observing scantily clad or nude people in sexual acts.  When they tried to translate his term into English, they called it “Scopophilia” — the love of looking — which somewhat captures what Freud was trying to convey in the term.

Scopophilia develops at a young age (2 to 4) when we become aware of (and attempt to master) the world and the other people in it, and begin to watch them in action.  Scopophila is a major source of pleasure according to Freud.  Movies and TV shows — where we peek into a private world and where the focus is often on the body, invite scopophilia.  We all become voyeurs by watching TV, witnessing and enjoying the action but not having to interact with the actors or get dirty ourselves.  The viewer is therefore empowered over the actors, the objects of his gaze.

Pro wrestling presents bodies in action, often freezing in poses to be contemplated.  This is a recipe for scopophilia — inviting the Male Gaze, which is the observant eye that judges, objectifies, and possesses (or rejects) the characters being presented.  We’ve become a culture of voyeurs thanks to endless spectacles presented for our viewing pleasure (including plenty of pro wrestling.)  The viewer feels empowered by the belief that the actors (or wrestlers) are working for his pleasure and suffering for him.  This is the pleasure at the root of scopophilia, the ego boost we get from watching.

Stories on film or television usually involve a division of labor — a separation between the active hero (traditionally male) role, and passive victim (traditionally female) role.  The watcher identifies with the main male character, and projects his own desires, fantasies, and emotions onto the active male. The man controlling the action (i.e., the Heel in a pro wrestling match) is a surrogate for, or represents, the viewer watching from home. The power of the male protagonist as he controls the action coincides with the active power of the erotic look, both giving a satisfying sense of omnipotence to the viewer.  A powerful, masculine, or virile actor (or wrestler) is a more perfect, stronger, braver projection of the viewer’s own ego, and empowers the viewer by representing him favorably.

The Baby-Face wrestler, on the other hand, takes on the traditional female role — what Freud called the “Other.”  The victim becomes the object of the viewer’s gaze, the one being looked at (and punished).  The Male Gaze always objectifies what it sees — judges and ponders the object as something potentially interesting, or potentially arousing.  The Male Gaze dehumanizes its object in order to consume or possess it.

The active male represents or stands in for the voyeur watching from home.  So every sadistic act, every attack, inflicted by the dominant wrestler is symbolically inflicted by the voyeur himself.

If a wrestler kicks or chokes his opponent, the voyeur feels like he is kicking or choking the victim as well.  The voyeur becomes involved in the match (from the safety of his living room couch) by being represented by the dominant wrestler.  The attacker is the viewer’s avatar or surrogate.  The pain inflicted by the attacker is wish fulfillment for the voyeur.  The attacker is doing exactly what the sadistic viewer wishes he could do to the victim’s body.  The viewer is empowered and enjoys participating in this manner.

The Baby-Face or victim therefore suffers in several ways.  First, obviously, he endures the direct punishment inflicted by his cruel opponent — the Headlock or Arm Wringer or whatever.  Second, he suffers the symbolic punishment from the voyeur at home, who psychologically whips him or thrashes him mentally.  Third, he is objectified and dehumanized as an object to be used for pleasure by the Male Gaze of the voyeur (just like any centerfold model, porn star, exotic dancer, etc.).  These impulses result in pleasure from watching pro wrestling — they encourage the viewer to engage in Scopophilia.