Ideas Man

One of the biggest joys I've had in wrestling, was when another wrestler asked "how did you think that up?" Referencing a maneuver which had me jumping over the top rope, into the ring, catching the back of my fallen opponent, rolling through, and landing in a sleeper hold, with both hooks (or "feet," as they're more widely named) in position. The only thing I could say in response, when asked, was that I'd been taught how to flip an opponent over when you already have control of their back, and that I could visualise it working from a flip into the ring, too. It just made sense.

That being said though, I'm not a real believer in originality. At least, not complete originality. In my - admittedly, somewhat limited - experience, everything worth doing has been done. I mean this fundamentally. Fundamentally, every story is a retelling of the same structure; every hero and villain is a new face on an old archetype; every love song says the same bloody thing. I don't think this is deliberate in every case, either. There're examples of myths, which are all from separate civilisations, which have no known link to one another, that tell parallel stories. All the way to modern day, these stories are retold: the story of Moses follows the same structure as the origin story of Superman,  as well as Harry Potter. (Not joking.) Yes, when we get to specifics, they're universes apart, but fundamentally, they're all the same.

People put such a prize in originality, but never even examine if it's truly possible.

In modern media, people are said to "pay homage" to their favourite works, when there's an explicite allusion to it in their own work. It's gotten to a point now, where the word homage is spoken with a tongue in the cheek, or a roll of the eyes. I've taken to calling it "stealing like an artist" (a phrase I have, indeed, stolen). I don't romanticise the borrowing of ideas. They're taking ideas they like, and putting them in their own voice. And there's nothing wrong with saying it in you're own voice - that's what self expression is.

For example, there came a time when I thought I needed a change in look. (The specifics of why are unimportant.) So, rather than the typical trunks and boots, associated with the technical style of professional wrestling, I opted to take a more modern approach. I designed some Vale Tudo esque shorts, and laced up my amatuer wrestling shoes, for something I thought looked a little more unique - to everyone else, that is.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

The majority of the look - as you can see - is taken from the Sambo submission wizard, Volk Han. And it gave me a grin, knowing I was parading around in gear that was so explicitly similar. I was showing off my stolen wears, in public, and getting away with it.

I could create a list so numberous, that any respect you may have had for me crumbles away. But if it did, ask why is it that originality has such a weight to it? All I have to give is myself, and I am a subject of my experiences.

One idea I had for a match came from a comic I read; an idea for another, came from a film; a few times, I've used a single line, in a song I like, to anchor my line of reasoning, when I've had to talk on a microphone. All of these things have an origin which is external to me, but they've helped me do or say what I needed to, and I did so in my own voice. The key, is that I expressed myself.