EmeraldSlave2
Posts: 3645
Joined: 1/1/2004 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Padriag This is where the idea of it being a gift really breaks down for me. A gift is something given... but an exchange is something given in trade for. Two diferent concepts. I don't use the term "power exchange" either, since I don't exchange my power. I transfer my authority to the Owner. While he can trade me personally to others, the authority is still "within" him and my power is still within me. I also dislike the gift and exchange concept because SO often it turns into the sub putting herself on this pedastal of "Worthiness" for doms to fight for like knights in armor going through gauntlets chasing this carrot on a stick of submission. Often this is allowed under the guise of "testing dominance." I find it fairly distasteful. quote:
... including give her away, abuse her, neglect her, ignore her, and otherwise fail to provide for her basic needs as a human being. Hmmm...giving someone away is hardly in the same category as abuse...and most submissives are ok with the dom choosing to ignore her at lease sometimes. How often do you hear subs say the worst punishment is to be ignored? They obviously think that being ignored in some cases is appropriate and even desireable. Your use of "otherwise fail to provide" assumes that everything else you mentioned was somehow lacking in providing for the needs of the submissive, which I obviously disagree with. quote:
And I've even seen some defend this as being what a M/s slave relationship should be. What I call it is entirely unhealthy and unethical on the part of the dominant. But... if she gave herself as a gift with no strings attached its easy to see how some progress in their logic to that point. Depends on which part of the list you made you're talking about. While I don't think a Ms relationship SHOULD involve the ability to trade away a slave, it certainly can without being abusive or wrong or bad or unethical. Same with being ignored. quote:
But if we change our thinking and treat it as an exchange... exactly what we've been calling it, a power exchange, it changes the logic. I don't use "power exchange" and think it's a pretty bad term for what's actually going on. quote:
Returning to my question from above, if the submissive gives control in exchange for something from the dominant, what does the dominant exchange? How about things like providing structure, boundaries, goals and expectations, fulfills the submissives need for affection, discipline, positive reinforcement, security, and guidance. Now we have a defined exchange, a defined basis for a relationship. Each has a clearly defined role to fulfill. This sets up an inheritly more healthy dynamic in the relationship as well. Hmmmm lots of doms don't desire or care about affection, security or guidance, they just want obedience. Also, as competent adults, we shouldn't "need" to be disciplined. Your list just makes submissives sound like lost little scared lambs. Granted, a lot of them are. Nothing's wrong with providing security and boundaries and affection of course, but those things all occur in vanilla relationships as well. As well- submissives can provide each of those things either to themselves or to the dominant. The Owner is horrible when it comes to making schedules and keeping track of time, that's my job to do for him. I also give him lots of affection. What dominants provide is a conscious authority within the relationship towards all aspects of the relationship. quote:
but they were stuck in that "I gave myself, I don't have the right to take that back" mindset, so they stayed, they accepted the abuse, they accepted the neglect, the mistreatment, even though we all knew they should get out. I've often been told the Owner is abusing me in my situation now...I don't really care what "they all know." While of course abuse occurs in both Ms and vanilla situations, not feeling they don't have the right to take it back is not inherently bad or wrong.
< Message edited by EmeraldSlave2 -- 4/19/2005 8:28:09 AM >
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