Professional Wrestling and Congress: Mirror Images

The premise of professional wrestling is that for theatrical purposes 'heels' are set against 'heroes' that through conflict play out archetypes that can be traced back to neolithic myths and pagan religions. Though from week to week battles are carried out between the 'heel' and 'hero', some times the hero wins and then some times the heel wins; but the audience can rest assure that good will eventually win out when it counts just as Hercules, Thor, or Susanoo in ancient mythology around the globe takes hits but keeps on coming to eventually win. Ancient mythology had a conclusion, which is where professional wrestling diverges from source material since it can never have an ultimate conclusion.

What does professional wrestling have to do with Congress as the title implies? Well they both rumble for the entertainment of the masses, and they both pretend to be battling as if the end of the world depends on it, and they both are in on the joke that a conclusion is not forthcoming. The difference is the lack of spandex and that they Congressmen free wheeling between heal and hero without regard to the previous "story line." At least professional wrestling has the pay off of some one getting pinned at the end of the hour.

Mythological archetypes performing in front of our eyes on basic cable provides some cultural benefits if one is to follow what Karl Jung or Joseph Campbell has to say; congress does all the rhetorical bluster of pro wrestling combat without any benefit for the audience nor their constituency. What purpose does it serve? It is an intentional distraction; do not mind the man behind the curtain just believe that you congressman is one of the good ones and isn't selling out our country's future for their personal gain when they go into lobbying/corporate strategy.