Inherited Primitive Behaviors, 2 of 3

Last week, we discussed primate behavior and the theory that the popularity of pro wrestling is due to buttons it presses in the primitive parts of our brains.  For centuries of evolution, one-on-one skirmishes to determine an Alpha Male of the tribe has made good sense: the strongest leader makes for a stronger (more likely to survive) tribe.  Old habits die hard, and we still cling to the logic of using combat to select a leader — thus the popularity of wrestling.

Let’s take a closer look at some aspects of pro wrestling and consider how these support the Theory of Inherited Primitive Wrestling Behaviors as I call it.  If these pro wrestling scenarios are similar to ape behavior, it would seem plausible that all primates inherit a tendency to enact these rituals from a common primate ancestor with the traits maintained in our DNA:

The Pin

In the animal kingdom, it is not always necessary to kill one’s fallen opponent in order to end the fight.  The loser has the option of willingly submitting — adopting a physical pose that promises to never raise trouble or challenge the leader again.  Each species has an accepted posture of submission such as laying on one’s back to expose the throat and belly (which my dog used to always do…)

Humans have adopted a pose of submission similar to dogs: the “pinned” position — flat on one’s back with vital organs open to the victor, who lays chest to chest on top, or places a foot on the chest of the supplicant.  This pose is held for several seconds to ensure the message sinks in — that the one on top is the Boss, and the helpless, exposed loser on the bottom had better not forget to remain submissive.

The Championship Belt

Apes live in small communities, so they can easily remember which one is the Alpha.  Usually it’s the largest, most impressive, most aggressive male, the one with the most testosterone who doesn’t groom any other apes.  Or it may be the gorilla with the most silver on his back.

Humans, however, live in large, complex societies and don’t routinely groom one another, so some method is needed to designate which man is The Man. Traditionally the king would wear a gold crown. Pro wrestling uses a gold belt (as opposed to a silver back) to designate who is top banana.  If you want to become the Alpha Male, you simply need to take his belt away from him.

Two Against One

In the chimpanzee world, it can be difficult for the Alpha Male to maintain power, especially if another male in the troop is large and strong.  Therefore, chimps will form strategic alliances where a second chimp will assist the Alpha Male with subduing a challenging male. The helper chimp will gain status and be permitted to mate some of the females in exchange for assisting the Alpha maintain his throne.

Pro wrestling frequently depicts these Alpha-Beta social alliances in Tag Team wrestling, where two men will work together to dominate a challenger and maintain power.

Flexing

Before a match, many a pro wrestler will puff out his chest and flex his biceps.  He may climb up on the ropes to appear larger, or wear a thick robe or puffy jacket to the ring.  We all naturally react to this — as we’ve been conditioned to for centuries — by feeling deferential to, worshipful of, and humbled by the larger man positioned above us.  After all, we are more likely to survive if our leader is a strong healthy buck as opposed to a weak old mongrel, so why not follow the leader?!

This pre-fight posturing is very common in ape society (and other species) as well.  A combatant will puff himself up, stand tall, and try to appear larger in order to intimidate the opponent (and all the submissive males in the audience — each flex a subtle reminder that the viewers has better remain loyal and obedient to their Leader.)

Submissive Posturing

Much of the action in the pro wrestling ring is actually not fighting at all, but simply postures of domination and submission.  The Beta Male will portray a beggar: crouching, kneeling, stay low to the ground, ostensibly because he is injured or tired, but actually to act out the pose of a submissive primate re-assuring the Alpha Male that he is no threat.

Apes communicate their relative social positions through similar posturing.  The Beta will crouch, grunt, extend a hand, or lower his head in submission to the Alpha.  These poses seem normal to us primates, part of our natural order.  We enjoy seeing the relative social standings depicted through these poses — the clarity is satisfying to our monkey brains.

Wearing the “Crimson Mask”

Among apes, the fights for Alpha Male can be very serious business.  The winner has the right to mate with all the females and thereby pass on his DNA, so the contest is for All The Evolutionary Marbles.  Therefore, the combatants may tear into each other with great passion, ripping flesh with their sharp teeth, and may find themselves seriously bloodied after these encounters — possibly even killed.  Bad feelings between former combatants smolder for years.

This savagery is represented in Pro Wrestling through the Blood Bath matches.  To ping our sub-conscious memories of deadly skirmishes for domination, the wrestlers are cut open, allowing blood to pour down their faces in garish displays of agony.  No other sport uses blood so blatantly to symbolize the apparent intensity of the contest and incite the viewers.

Would any man be willing to maim his opponent, or risk being disfigured himself, just to own the shiny gold belt?  There is an implication, when the blood starts flowing, that something very important is on the line.

The match takes on the aura of a life and death struggle, a war for survival or for dominance, when one or both wrestlers gets a bloody face.  The blood is never concealed, but proudly displayed as a sign of masculinity.

I believe the Blood Bath matches are a reminder of the days when early man (similar to all primates) fought so violently, putting his very flesh and blood on the line, to win the Alpha Male role and the right to pass on his DNA. What else is worth getting busted open for??

If men were willing to suffer injury to win a belt, prize money, and some mere fame and fortune, then all sports would end in bloody brawls.  Only pro wrestling, due to it’s underpinning of primitive behaviors born of vicious  struggles for leadership and handed down for eons, implies that the stakes of the battle are life and death and worth getting busted open for.

To Be Continued…