SusanofO
Posts: 5672
Joined: 12/19/2005 Status: offline
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I think Politesub53 makes a point I agree with. IMO,wanting to conform is a decision that could just as easily be made based on a lot of examination of an issue - (or the character of any particular Dominant, and a decision to get into a relationship with them in the first palce, as their submissive) -a decision that requires free will, at least as much as it could have been made due to unthinking adherance based on mere vulnerability. I do agree with him, too about people doing it due to a need to survive; and those reasons might be psychological ones, but that doesn't always mean the people making them are victims of unthinking adherance to an idea or a person. It could mean they really have decided that with an idea or person in their life, they believe they've found a way to live that enhances their life more than if that person, or acting and-on or believing X about a particular issue wasn't in their life. Actually, I think the former seems more likely for some people, but that overall, it does depend on the indivudual person's personality and their motives for wanting to conform (which is a pretty individual thing, IMO). It can't all be chalked up to simple "indoctrination". I very much agree with feastie on this (re: Having faith in something less tangible). People examine ideas, (and other people, too) to what appears to be a greater or lesser degree - and decide which ones to devote themselves to, IMO. Some maybe appear to just not do that (maybe they really are doing it, maybe they aren't - a lot certainly appear to not be deciding much) But, you'd have to talk to them on an individual basis to be able to really tell why they were conforming, wouldn't you? You might be able to make probable, or even mostly accurate assumptions about their motives, if you really knew them (or were extra "tuned in" to them, or in some cases, if you were able to make accurate judgments about their motives based on their most superficial actions, for whatever reason - some people, IMO, really do seem more able to make accurate guesses about other people's motives, (for whatever reason), they may just be better judges of character BUT - it would still be what is sometimes called an "educated guess". In any case, it still, IMO takes Free Will to be able to conform. Some people do it because (it appears) they think something really is a good idea (at the time), not because they simply haven't thought it over. Some (apparently) don't do that. Plus, IMO, people can, and definitely do, IMO, change over time. What I wanted in 1973, isn't necessarily what I want in my life today. And how often have we heard the disucssion about a Dominant being either necessary for, or helping, a submissive's "growth" (and vice-versa)? - Susan
< Message edited by SusanofO -- 8/31/2007 6:51:54 AM >
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"Hope is the thing with feathers, That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all". - Emily Dickinson
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