Politics and Performance: Wrestling with Power

This chapter investigates the connections between professional wrestling, UFC, and the influence of political figures like Trump amidst evolving labor dynamics and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It critiques the administrative state and explores capitalism's relationship with governance, suggesting that dismantling bureaucratic structures may lead to increased capitalist control. Furthermore, it highlights the metaphorical endurance of fighters and pageant participants in a society that prizes hyper-competitiveness while questioning the role of state oversight in preserving public welfare.