Poll: Would you watch gladiatorial combat?

Xan Krieger

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Welcome citizen, to the great city of Rome. The gladitorial games are about to start, would you care to join me? Today it's going to be men vs men, women vs women, and a few convicts are going to be mauled by wild animals, it's going to be a splendid show. What say you, friend?

OOC: If the concept of gladiators was revived would you watch it? For the sake of modern times it's only between willing participants. Personally I would, seen enough videos of people dying for me to figure my stomach would be strong enough.
 

Eclipse Dragon

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Isn't WWE pretty much modern gladiatorial combat? I thought they put a bit more emphasis on providing a show back then as well (which is why gladiators were portrayed in art as being a bit on the chubby side.)


I mean, I'm sure there were unfortunate souls who got thrown in there to be slaughtered, but I imagine people would get bored just watching people (or animals) slaughter other people all the time.

Following that train of thought, I don't watch WWE and I don't watch MMA so I probably wouldn't watch gladiatorial combat (unless societal pressure or something, "what you don't go to the coliseum, you're weird!").
 

Thaluikhain

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Eclipse Dragon said:
Isn't WWE pretty much modern gladiatorial combat? I thought they put a bit more emphasis on providing a show back then as well (which is why gladiators were portrayed in art as being a bit on the chubby side.)
IIRC, that wasn't unusual, a bit of fat on you helped protect you from injury.

Eclipse Dragon said:
I mean, I'm sure there were unfortunate souls who got thrown in there to be slaughtered, but I imagine people would get bored just watching people (or animals) slaughter other people all the time.
Well, you'd think so, but it was popular. OTOH, it was cheaper to have the people not kill each other, of course, and to have gymnastics and stuff go on as well.

OTOOH, long after gladiators stopped fighting, people would go watch public executions. Even today in the US, you get cheering crowds outside facilities where someone is being executed, I believe.
 

Eclipse Dragon

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thaluikhain said:
Even today in the US, you get cheering crowds outside facilities where someone is being executed, I believe.
But is that more because of a thrill of seeing somebody die or because people who get executed have done some perceived wrong and it's a thrill of seeing them get 'what's coming to them'?
 

Thaluikhain

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Eclipse Dragon said:
thaluikhain said:
Even today in the US, you get cheering crowds outside facilities where someone is being executed, I believe.
But is that more because of a thrill of seeing somebody die or because people who get executed have done some perceived wrong and it's a thrill of seeing them get 'what's coming to them'?
Oh, I'd daresay it was a mixture of both. Though, that mix would also have applied to many arena deaths as well.
 

Zhukov

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Dec 29, 2009
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Had I been raised in a culture that embraced that sort of thing, then yes, I imagine I would.

Me as I am now, raised in a culture that most definitely does not include bloodsports then no, of course not. Even if I was not profoundly distressed by it I still wouldn't get any enjoyment or benefit from it.
 

The Lunatic

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Jun 3, 2010
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It'd definitely be interesting.

However, modern morality does rather get in the way. I probably wouldn't feel entirely comfortable with it, but, likely watch it at least once out of curiosity.
 

sageoftruth

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Doubt it. It would probably be fascinating until the first fatality, then I'd be utterly shaken. Then again, even the fighting itself might not be all that interesting for me, considering how dull I find MMA to be most of the time. Honestly, video games and action movies have spoiled me to the point where real combat just looks dull by comparison.
 

Scarim Coral

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Eclipse Dragon said:
Isn't WWE pretty much modern gladiatorial combat? I thought they put a bit more emphasis on providing a show back then as well (which is why gladiators were portrayed in art as being a bit on the chubby side.)
While I did thought of that and aswell the "real" wreatle but there is that other "Gladiator" show
Yes I know it's the UK but we all know of that other Gladiator show in the US. Sure it isn't man vs man or man vs beast but they still compete with each other and it can be dangerous (I remember this gladiator hottie that my bro used to have a crush on had an accident when she fall down and had left her paralyzed).

OT- While I admit I used used to watched Gladiator and WWE (when it used to be WWF) but I would still say no. I mean back then the internet didn't existed so TV was one of my past time on passing the time and entertainment.
 

JoJo

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My humanitarian side says no but my sadist side says yes. On balance, I wouldn't support gladiatorial combat existing legally but if it did anyway, then I would be tempted to see one out of curiosity. Depends how gruesome, allegedly Roman ones could get very brutal with the executions (burnings, crucifixion, castrations, torn to pieces by animals), though some of that may be exaggeration by later historians, I doubt many of us raised in a modern Western society could enjoy that sort of violence close up.
 

FalloutJack

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"MAXIMUS! MAXIMUS! MAXIMUS!"

Can I get some wine and a lamb sandwich over here? The fight's getting good and I'm quite famished!
 

Frankster

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I don't feel the need for such things because games like Mortal Kombat hit that itch of seeing 2 fighters in a deathmatch close enough without anyone "real" getting hurt (won't stop people bitching about things like skimpy clothing though, the spoilsports, romans knew what they were doing when gladiators were mostly naked, there's a reason why gore and sex is said to mix so well!).

If I lived in roman times I'd probably be all over the gladiatoral games given my tastes, but I grew up in 21st century europe so real violence of that type would probably make me puke and would derive 0 enjoyment knowing someone "real" died.
 

kommando367

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Yes, if melee only. No ranged weapons, stun-guns, or nets. Also, only high population predatory animals such as wild boars and coyotes should be involved during animal vs human events.

Maybe a few interesting variations could also be thrown in like seeing who can bag up the most gore with no injuring the other contestants being allowed for that particular event.
 

Flutterguy

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Jun 26, 2011
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Nah, I'd rather pass up on the 250$ entrance fee to play video-games. I could pirate the death-match, but it's just not the same if I'm not in the 'splash zone'.

Crucidius Endomitus killing that guy on Jimmy Fallon last week was hilarious though, if he wins I'll definitely check out the highlights.
 

Xeros

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Depends on how good of a show they put on. Boxing/MMA/etc. do nothing for me, so they'd have to really amp it up to get me interested.
 

Rabbitboy

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With my current morality the answer is no. Although if we ever have a complete breakdown of society there might not be many other entertainment options left.
 

Abomination

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Consensual, free participants only.

Even then I wouldn't want to watch people die for my pleasure. Heck, I wouldn't want to watch people die at all. Maybe a public execution for whomever is leading ISIS but it wouldn't be for entertainment.