Originating in the 1970s hardcore punk scene but quickly spreading to metal and other genres, moshing describes a style of frenetic, violent dancing that usually involves swinging of the arms and legs as well as slamming into other nearby dancers with your body or elbows, usually conducted in a circular area of a crowd colloquially called the “mosh pit.” (Ragusa) If someone falls in a mosh pit due to particularly frenetic dancing or from an unexpected collision with another mosher, it is widely known that the rest of the pit is to cease moshing until the downed individual is helped up and is given a quick check to make sure they are unhurt in order to prevent trampling injuries. (Wildberger 1-2) Though mosh pits seem violent and antisocial, the truth is that they are a shining example of metalheads being emotionally grounded and prosocial. As I see it, one could liken it to a pair of martial artists sparring in order to improve their skills: yes, someone may get bruised up in the process, and the actual actions are violent, but it’s in service of a constructive practice meant to improve both participants’ skills as fighters and both parties gave their consent to be involved. Mosh pits are much the same, except instead of the purpose being to improve one’s skills, it’s to improve one’s emotional health. If you slammed into someone on the street as a way of channeling frustration or anger, they’d be well within their rights to knock your block off in self defense. In the mosh pit, however, all are on equal footing- everyone consented to be in the pit, (as there’s usually ample non-pit space for the rest of the crowd to stand if they are uninterested in moshing) everyone is enjoying the same music, and everyone is seeking an outlet to express their emotional arousals. By this logic, moshing is, in essence, a communal release of emotional arousal set to music to enhance and heighten the mood. This intersects with another sociological school of thought, catharsis theory, which states that humans often seek out simulacra of dangerous or undesirable situations in order to satisfy and release inner emotional turmoil; we seek out the sort of mock-brawl that a mosh pit becomes in order to quench our thirst for a real fight. (Nickerson) With both catharsis theory and emotional arousal theory in play, the mosh pit becomes the dominant sociological stage in which the many social contracts and traditions of the metal community play out.