And what's wonderful is no one's getting hurt. The series is now in its fourth season. Teams of contestants have 10 hours to build machines using only material found in a junkyard. We named the machine 'The Muncher'. Most have flashy advertisements.
People watch because of the anticipation of something elicit.
These machine-fighting competitions are simply a variation on a destructive theme, critics say. Demolition as a form of public entertainment has always been around, Waco psychiatrist Lance Oberg argues. In the late 1800s, two locomotives were slammed head-on into each near Waco, attracting more than 30,000 spectators. When buildings are razed with explosives, the events draw hoards of curious onlookers and plenty of TV news coverage. Inside, there is a part of us that doesn't mind seeing someone or something destroyed.