Mercnbeth
Posts: 11766
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~ Fast Reply ~ I'm always amazed at the versatility of the universal safe-word - 'RED!' Look as some of the examples provided in this thread. Play partners have the ability to read the mind of the person saying it and know (instinctual?) not only that it can represent an asthma attack, tight bindings, chewed ball gag, or a cramp; but somehow, they know where the cramp is located! Another reason why I'm sure as hell not qualified to use one. You know, somebody shouts our red to me, I'm so dense I'm liable to go get a paint brush. The other tricky part of mind melding, especially when playing with new partners, or even trying a new thing with a familiar partner, is diving with the thought that they'll keep you safe. Say, for instance, were together and we're both real exciting about trying out my new 25 foot bull whip. I swing that sucker through the air. It hits you across the shoulder blades and cuts you down to the bone. Assuming you have passed out, am I still a "good dom" in your eyes if I honored 'RED!', and stopped, (checking first for cramps), even if it requires 200 stitches to close the wound? This coming from having a partner who, if given the standard magic words, MAYBE would consider saying 'yellow' if I pull started a chain-saw while she was tied to a St. Andrew's Cross with a tourniquet around her bicep. Seriously, I've witnessed, in my limited experience, many more problems at public play scenes especially between people using 'safe-words' than have occurred when people don't and just read their partner or provide ongoing feedback. Not only does it, marginally or completely, allow the 'dom' to abdicate responsibility it requires a part of the submissive's sensation process to never completely surrender to what they are feeling. Whatever mental capacity is determining if what they are feeling qualifies as 'green', 'yellow', or 'red' is un-surrendered control. Look, many don't want to surrender all control, or from the dominant side of the equation - don't want the reponsibility of total control, but thats not the point. However by their very nature, once you use a 'RED!' the damage is done; and if you get someone as non-psychic as me, I'm likely to ask "What part of you do you want red-er??"
< Message edited by Mercnbeth -- 8/25/2009 1:32:34 PM >
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