Growing up, many of us argued heatedly over this age-old question as the wrestlers untiringly regaled us in our living rooms. On one hand, the critics questioned how realistic the fights were because some moves seemed impossible to perform without cooperation between the wrestlers, while on the other hand, the fans were chagrined at the thought of it being fake. And we were not alone.
In 1984, there was an altercation that ensued between the investigative journalist John Stossel, and a wrestler “Dr D” aka David Schultz. Stossel’s style of reporting was to expose untruths in all kinds of businesses. On this occasion, he had targeted professional wrestling. The altercation was triggered by Stossel’s question to Dr D on the legitimacy of the wrestling fights. This question angered Dr D that he began to box Stossel’s ears.
Later, the wrestling regulations compelled Vince McMahon, the executive chairman of WWE, to admit in front of the New Jersey Senate that the WWE type of wrestling was an activity in which participants entertain spectators rather than conduct a bona fide athletic contest.
Hired writers aka bookers write a compelling storyline that combines choreographed moves, showmanship, stunt work, alliances and scripted performances. And although the outcomes are pre-determined, it doesn’t make the loser any less valuable than the winner. The performers are selected based on who is able to cultivate their characters and fill arenas. But despite the public acknowledgement of this fakeness, fans are still enthralled by the staged events. This fakeness is known to wrestling insiders as kayfabe.
Kayfabe is derived from a pig Latin slang word for fake. It refers to the practice of maintaining the illusion that everything is real, utterly sincere and authentic in the eyes of the public. The players create an alternate reality where the audience believes that what they are watching is a real contest, with real combatants who really despise each other, while it is all just an act.
Dr D’s altercation was a case of trying to preserve the kayfabe. Because kayfabe was never to be intentionally acknowledged to the public. Its aim is to boost the entertainment value of the sport. To break kayfabe is to reveal that the show is not real. This would have serious financial consequences for the promoters and bookers of the game and could end wrestling careers given the financial incentives and entertainment guarantee of scripted shows.
Sounds familiar?
Over the past couple of weeks, the nation has been regaled by political kayfabe where power operates in a similar manner to WWE. The two political factions, Azimio and Kenya Kwanza have put on a public display of chest-thumping with each alliance making hard line pronouncements of their irreducible minimums to peacefully co-exist.
This led to street protests where sadly some Kenyans lost their lives. Ultimately, rumours of behind closed-door talks began to emerge. This week, they were confirmed as true. And just like that, without any consultation and consent of the millions whose signatures were allegedly collected, bipartisan committees were formed, and politicos selected to represent each faction.
Begs the question, have the politicos all along been purporting to be adversaries in the public eye and buddies off-camera? Like in WWE, has the script been written, the winners predetermined and the outcomes decided, where the losers are no less valuable than the winners? And have we as the voters or spectators in this political arena willingly suspended our disbelief all in a bid to preserve the political kayfabe?
I submit that the street protests and subsequent hybrid bipartisan talks is the arena chosen to keep us entertained. And as the fans we have made the active choice of cheering and booing our political wrestlers as if we are affirming something real. We no longer simply pretend to be fooled by the game; rather we are all invested and involved in playing the game itself, some for psychic income, and others for tangible benefits in the form of state appointments and rewards. This is a classic case of life imitating art.
Our choice to suspend disbelief is driven by our parochial interests. This lulls us into thinking that what we are seeing is real. It in turn guides our reactions to these events because the human mind is easily exploited when trying to swim the choppy waters between fact and fiction. And whether out of pride or shame, we rarely openly acknowledge to our political rivals that our beloved political sport is fixed.
Resultantly, what we have is a population that is largely conditioned to see heroes and villains through a script written for us by political bookers. These bookers benefit electorally and financially from the manufactured outrage and enmity of significant segments of their constituency. They make claims and weave narratives by presenting differing policy opinions as if they were Armageddon scenarios. They paint their opposing faction as reckless, corrupt, and malevolent, while presenting their own faction as hardworking, patriotic, and legitimate.
In wrestling, both the profitability of the business and the booker’s personal survival relies heavily on the audience appetite for drama. Hence, heightened kayfabe becomes a necessity. Likewise, the profitability of politics relies on the voters buying into a political storyline. The more ludicrous and hardline stance the politicos take that resonates with our cognitive biases, the higher the assurance of the reliability of our votes.
This political kayfabe has turned our world into a hall of mirrors that seems nearly impossible to escape. It has made our minds rotten and eaten into our souls. The antidote is radical honesty. It is not as lucrative, nor as entertaining. But in the long run, it does less harm and restores our spirit. It’s time to dismantle this kayfabe curtain.
Finally, my unsolicited advice is to Wanjiku. You have no dog in this Azimio and Kenya Kwanza fight. Stop complying with the political kayfabe. Return to your hustle. Be dispassionate. And even if you choose not to, don’t die for any politician. You’ve not been called to save the world. Only to fend for your woman and children.