>>10843335Reading comprehension.
There's Just Like Me wish fulfilment and there's aspirational wish fulfilment.
Nowadays isn't about larger than life aspiration for most wrestlers, it's about being a direct analogue for the people in the crowd ticking as many shared characteristics as possible. This is a race to the bottom because you're increasingly narrowing the people who can identify with and connect to you by catering to as many real world characteristics as possible, while also promoting more and more niche "I'm so different" personalities.
As Frank Turner sings "if you're so fucking different why should anyone care what you have to say?"
Aspirations are shared among a wider range of people. Black people could connect to Stone Cold over wanting to smack their boss, being from the south, etc. White people could connect to the Rock over his swagger and cool guy aura able to verbally outdo anyone and never lose a trashtalk.
Audience aspiration wish fulfilment> audience insert wish fulfilment.
