Statepalace -> RE: The BDSM continuum... (1/23/2008 12:17:27 PM)
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I agree with the continuum comment. For me, dominance and submission are a sliding scale, not an either/or thing. I am a certain number. Other people are different numbers, either higher or lower. When asked if I am submissive, I really want to reply with the question "To whom?" I prefer to be in a relationship with someone that I feel is "bigger" than I am on my sliding scale. That doesn't mean I am submissive to the person asking the question, or in my relationships with people that I consider "smaller" than myself. I like to use wolf pack behavior as a good example of how I see the continuum concept. Within a pack, there may be some animals that are submissive to all. There is a pack leader/mated pair. The rest are a mixed bag. One animal may be submissive to a,b, and c wolf but dominant over x,y, and z wolf. Are they dominant, submissive, switch, or just the same creature in different situations? I taught high school, and was certainly dominant in the classroom. Submissive feelings (non-sexual) toward my superiors, and neutral toward my co-workers. How I saw myself did not change, the situations simply brought out different feelings in me. You might say that's life, but I'm just using it as an example. In meeting someone, I either feel submissive, neutral or dominant toward them. I am not just "submissive". I am a number on my internal scale. If you are not as high a number as I am, then I don't feel submissive toward you. This means that if you can't change a tire or use a map then there is no way in hell that you are tying me up. If I am "bigger" than you are, then I don't feel submissive; if I am "smaller" then I do. The standards for that internal evaluation (my ranking vs. another person) are relative only to me, but the theory could be applied elsewhere. As everyone is always growing and changing, that internal evaluation would of course change over time as well. My desire to be submissive I consider a different entity than how I "rank" in comparison to another person. It does fluctuate with my moods, the amount of sleep I've gotten and all sorts of other things.
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