iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

It's a good thing that Tony Khan is such good friends with Larry Ellison! I'm so excited for AEW World's End presented by Saudi Aramco.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I know we've all talked a lot about how virtue signaling is overblown or w/e. But let's come together as a community and agree that any white person dressing their internet presence up in John Brown's cyberbody wants legitimacy their posting or activism would never grant them.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Wow, Smackdown on the USA Network is really must see programming. Almost as much as Triplemania this weekend!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Chuds have developed a similar tactic. But instead of like, a deity involved. It's just AI slop. The concept of Hayden Panettiere is frozen preserved in the metaphorical amber of being some gooner's tradwife. RIP Carl Tanzler, you would have loved modernity.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Did you know that some Mormons engage in a practice of baptizing dead people? Usually they are the famous ones. Like, they're just chilling out being dead, and then boop. Mormonized. (Is this the real cause of Havana Syndrome?)

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

If Jason from the Good Place were alive to see this, he'd be furious.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

To your question, I believe Marx would find it inevitable that under capitalist relations, older workers with reduced value to their companies are set aside or exploited more viciously to extract the last bits of value they might produce.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Theoretically, I could put on Kenny Omega vs. the Ghost of Rikidozan in a 2 out of 3 falls match in my back yard. But without the infrastructure in place, it means nothing in terms of generating profit. In other words, the wrestlers aren't the means of production, but it is their labor power.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

You might say, hey! Those are great wrestlers. And you'd be right. But they were making more money than their perceived value was. Not just anyone can hire them and start a wrestling company. You need a camera crew, you need venues, you need marketing. They produce value in a very specialized way.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

TKO is a publicly traded company. They have a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders to maximize profits. In the case I believe you're referring to, they did not believe Austin Creed and Kofi were worth their contracts with the new, reduced role they were in. Only generating profit on merch sales.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Second, consolidation. This would be when a company fails. The lack of competition allows for monopolies or cartels. In wrestling, this is going to be rare on a large scale. Think the end of WCW. Third (thanks for sticking with me for this), the company can take from the workers' share of profit.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

There are three ways the rate of profit can increase. One, technological breakthroughs. Wrestling boomed in the 1950s with the advent of television. The wrestlers performed the same labor. It was just now more profitable.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Let's start with the Tendency of the Rate of Profit to Fall Over Time. Human labor creates value, but the amount of value produced is dependent on variables like technology. As more people enter the market, there is (at first) more competition, and it takes more resources to turn a profit.

A graph of the World Rate of Profit from 1869 to 2007. And there are demons in the background. The line goes down.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Thank you for your question. To start, it would helpful to avoid Marxist readings of capitalist relations through the lens of morality. Dialectical Materialism is closer to a scientific method of analysis than a system that produces moral judgments.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

But Aaron, WWE is the only place where I can see all my favorite AEW stars. Cody Rhodes, the Lucha Bros, Danhausen, Jade Cargill, Ethan Page, Max Caster in like 9 months, and of course the best in the world, CM Punk.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Let's say you are running a restaurant. Over the course of three years, 40% less people walk in the door to eat. Then, Under Your Logic (TM) (Patent Pending), you proclaim that our chef is better than ever! There's only one wrestling promoter in history that doesn't care if he makes money or not.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

If he sucked so much, why has aew never matched the numbers they had with him? They must suck more

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

This anime in wrestling stuff is so embarrassing and cringey. A real turn off for a lot of people.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Yes, objectively so. CM Punk's return is still the highest selling PPV ever. Don't invent HBO numbers. The highest rated episode of dynamite since Brawl In was the episode where they aired the footage of Punk/Perry. Aew won't die until the Khans run out of money. It's a rich kid's toy.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Well, that's a fun ghost you're arguing against. Of course, you didn't deny that ratings are down. Ticket sales are down. Yeah, part of that is the economy. But that's not gonna matter to the decision makers. They as a company are still likely in the red over the life of the company!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Anime avatar stands up for AEW! Part 5739. Talent is pretty good. I miss Willow. The management and booking are a trainwreck.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The metrics have been declining, the contract has an out next year and their home network is being sold to Paramount. Home of the UFC.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

That's it. I'm sending you to impact zone.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Who's under the mask? It's you! You did this!!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

of course, people can disagree! but there should be no problem with me stating my opinion about a subjective artform. i don't go into will ospreay threads and talk about how tedious i find him. i know we do not agree and the conversation will not be productive!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

i will say, yeah. I know saying punk is the best in the world will generate a reaction. but it's a legitimate belief. we value different things in our wrestling. aew used to offer more of the southern inspired wrestling that i prefer, and now it's predominately influenced by 2010s NJPW.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Nothing in my original post mentioned AEW fans at all! I expressed an opinion and then used factual information to support that opinion. I expected people to praise Punk because he's the best wrestler in the world. And is able to work people at a level unseen in decades. And some did agree!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

it would get more eyes on the show than will ospreay does. that's true!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

oh! you got me! have fun. i hope no one ends up in a wheelchair! 🤞

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I'd like people to talk about how awesome CM Punk is, ideally. Or to find other people who like the same kind of wrestling I do. I can't control how other people behave. That's more of your thing.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

For now! Ticket sales, TV ratings, and now more than ever, social media engagement are crucial to maintain that.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Toxic is a concept that has no real meaning. Pop psychology garbage. It can mean whatever it needs to in the current situation so the other person is the "wrong one". You knew we disagreed about this from our last conversation, but still wanted to imply that I'm a crazy bitch. Sounds toxic.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

AEW is the first wrestling company in human history that doesn't need to make money. They could lose Fight Forever levels of money every month and it wouldn't put a dent in the Khan checkbook. Any other company would care.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Mike, let's just make this simple. There's nothing toxic about expressing an opinion in public that you don't care for. I know most people on Bluesky think I'm wrong. But I am allowed to take up space. And this fucking bullshit high roading you are trying to pull is so patronizing.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

i get joy out of following wrestling. a good portion of that comes from laughing at the bad shit. i'm not trying to change aew. i'm just talking about wrestling. (wrestling that I did enjoy and miss the existence of!)

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

So to sum it up, there is no way you find acceptable to post my thoughts without it being troll behavior, and you think I am mentally ill while you are the one trying to make me conform to your imaginary standards for acceptability. Great talk!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I'd rather someone be honest about where they stand than turn their backs on me in my moment of need.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

aew failed in many respects, but the lie of inclusion sold to me and my trans sisters is one that burns the most. that kind of social ostracization will do stuff to a person, Mike and Ike.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I dunno steve, who started this conflict? Because all I did was post an opinion that you found distasteful.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I do! But not to the level that I enjoyed CM Punk in AEW. Or Cody Rhodes in AEW. Or Miro, even.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Absolutely! You should read Conflict is not Abuse by Sarah Schulman. I'd recommend it to anyone. But especially AEW fans.

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

anyone who doesn't agree with me is mentally ill, progressive edition. crazy transgenders. think they should play sports. not today, Nyla!

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Monica Hager @bitsofmonica.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

yeah. absolutely. aew fans can't handle conflict.

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