Shane Toepfer
As contributor
As commenter
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Re: When Idle Hands Were the Devil's Workshop: Did Early Game Manufacturers Overcome A Gaming Prejudice?
The Frivolity of Play
I am also fascinated by this topic, particularly the omnipresent critique of games and play as something wasteful or frivolous. These examples perfectly illustrate the criticism of play as an unproductive use of time and energy by highlighting how early ... -
Athletes as Marks?
The case of Chris Benoit certainly stands as a benchmark in many ways, as the dangers of CTE were exposed in grisly detail. Many wrestling fans have professed to not being able to watch any longer after Benoit's murder/suicide, and many more refuse ... -
No Future?
A great explanation of CTE and the ramifications of brain injuries in sports. It is haunting to think of these effects tormenting former, current, and future athletes. And by starkly addressing the effects of CTE on a more personal level, the culture of ... -
An Overwhelming Problem
A fascinating discussion that highlights the seemingly overwhelming (impossible?) challenge of changing this culture of toughness given how many reasons athletes have for downplaying the presence and significance of head injuries. As Todd points out, thi ... -
Legitimizing the Feminine & Feminizing the "Legitimate"
What a great way to kick off the week as we explore representations of brain injuries in sports by destabilizing the notion of sport altogether. As Bryce points out, the risks cheerleaders subject themselves to are very real, and yet they enjoy a fractio ... -
Screens and Filters = Emotional Attachment?
/*-->*/ I keep thinking about this clip and how it communicates aspects of “reality” to wrestling audiences. What I find so fascinating are the use of screens to act as theoretical filters – sort of diluting glimpses of this reality just enough to ma ... -
Wrestling At Its Most "Real"
Bryan definitely brings up the most controversial aspect of professional wrestling with this post, and also points to the element of wrestling that is the most "real." The murder/suicide of Chris Benoit seems like an eternity ago, and at the sam ... -
Flat-Back Bumps
David, I think you make a really important point in this discussion that raises even more questions. Bryan's example is horrifying in the wake of what we have learned about head injuries, standing out as extreme, and not in a good way. However, wha ... -
Too Real for Wrestling
/*-->*/ A really intriguing post Cory, as the use of social media certainly serves as a contemporary component of pro wrestling. And it ties excellently into yesterday’s post over what aspects of wrestling are “too real” for the narratives being cons ... -
Real Life and Wrestling
/*-->*/ @Ari – I agree there are some powerful similarities in both posts, which should make this conversation really cohesive. In fact, the thread of “realism” and “authenticity” carries through all of the posts that have been presented thus far, ...