I don't know what the IWC is today if it even exists in the same way I used to think of it. It still exists for sure because people are still reading newsletter style content. Back in the day a lot of that scene was plagued with backstage politics of guys being held down and not wanting to give back. In a way just working the smart marks. Real life heel HEAT and all that. Honestly the past generation it feels like there was a move away from that. But again I'm not "out there" anymore so I could be wrong. But think of the Cena Generation, with few exceptions (i.e. the nexus tag) did it seem like people were dicks backstage using pull? Felt like in the NXT/New Day era guys were not really trying to rock the boat, happy to be here. Feel like it's going into bitter boomer territory complaining about kids these days more focused on twitch vidya than getting to the top.

The recent Rock stuff has worked people and it's really the first time in a long time where it seemed like anything in that realm was front of center for your boy to witness it. Otherwise it didn't really feel it happened outside of isolated incidents (i.e. Brock gonna Brock vs. Mox) versus an ongoing issue from back in the day. Something that really separated Punk from the pack and probably why he always got an actual chant instead of being a stand in for Cena Sucks like a lot of guys did. Yeah he was an ass, and bitter and all about himself... but at least he cared enough to do it. Am I wrong in thinking that kind of passion is missing? Again there's enough bad stank with AEW, but are they a big influence in this mindset? Nobody trying to really be IT instead they're just theatre geeks having fun with their friends. Instead of the kliq protecting their spot and being about the bag it's become a glorified trampoline fed where the idea is to make a bigger better Savage/Steamboat instead of slamming Andre.

Or maybe you disagree. Maybe you think the business is better to get away from the drugs (though alchies and weed fines were always there even in the twitch era) and hazing into whatever it is DIS BUSINESS now represents.

Or maybe it's like Cena's original theme, I'm a broken needle and I'm missing a point. Although I do think it's interesting as HHH moved away from that "image" and redeemed his image by being NXT Dad is when I first started noticing the business' trend away from the days of Hogan and Nash.

There's always going to be politics, and I think that definition has become quite broad. It's not uncommon for people who work together to have disagreements. And its not uncommon for people to be protective of their brand or their image, including in wrestling. Nor is it a bad thing. 

The differences between this generation and the last few generations could come down to economics. This generation may be " happy to be there " as wrestling is only part of the overall equation. Between socials, podcasting, twitch, YouTube, OF, royalties - half of these guys today are probably making more from social media than wrestling. Everyone invests these days, everyone has a financial planner, everyone of these guys has a passive income. 

Compare that to the boys coming through in the 1980s and 1990s. What's the best you can hope once your other wise forgettable career begins to dry up? A few local commercials selling Pick Ups? Maybe you saved some bucks and you can buy a business in your pissant home town. So yeah, damn straight you'd be protective of your spot to the point of politicking to keep it. 

It's a different world now, and these guys today are working on a much bigger platform than any other generation, and with the inclusion of social media, the opportunity to make money is through the roof. 

I believe there was a story, shit.. nearly 2 decades ago now. Where the WWE were sitting new recruits down and putting them through a crash course in managing their finances. Because so many guys from the previous generation in the 80/90s pissed their money away.

It's quite easy to forget wrestling was once full of carnys, rednecks and degens with limited intelligence, a dependency on drugs and alcohol to stay alive and a lot of money on the line - and we expect these people to act and response to situations they didn't like with professionalism.  

Like I said, there's always going to be politics. It's the reason why half the WWE guys in AEW are there, and why two of the biggest names in AEW went back to WWE. It's just a reality.