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ORIGINAL: losttreasure

I didn’t want to derail SusanO’s thread, "the "Illusion factor" in bdsm makes it less "real". Discuss.", but in it, popeye1250 made the following comment:

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ORIGINAL: popeye1250

Susan, a sub or slave "wants" to serve.
If they enjoy serving their Dom or Master continuation of that service is contingent on rendering more service to their Dom or Master in a satisfactory manor for the relationship to continue.
I don't see any "force" being used at all.
Either party may "opt out" at any time.
And like you said there may be an element of illusion but if it makes the two people happy where's the "problem?"
I enjoy and appreciate service from a sub/slave every bit as much as they like to give said service!
So, as much as it may be arousing to the sub/slave it is also arousing to me. A symbiotic relationship!

While I can’t disagree at all with the gist of what he is saying and it is obviously regarding his own personal situation, it did getting me to thinking about his statement that “a sub or slave “wants” to serve.  I’ve often seen similar statements made regarding the submissive nature and the need to serve, and I sometimes get the impression that dominants feel this is true and given for all submissives, or at least should be.  It seems there is never a lack of commentary by dominants about the dismal understanding of submissives with regard to service.

Typically musings such as these are followed by discussion of the different types of submissives and the services they perform... the “bedroom sub”, the “domestic service sub”, etc.  And, it’s usually responded to with reminders that not all submissives are service submissives, which predictably leads to some kind of conversation mentioning the difference between subs who only want play and those who seek a 24/7 lifestyle.

At any rate, it seems that the concept of service usually gets stuck around the idea that it relates only to performing duties that provide for (or having responsibilities that are related to) either the comfort or pleasure of a dominant.

While both of these types of service have their appeal to me, I would not say that as a part of my nature that I desire or crave either.  Now, I will admit that I derive pleasure from being pleasing... and if performing domestic chores results in pleasing Fhky, then it is a source of happiness for me.  In the same vein and even more obviously, if in sexual service I can bring pleasure to him, again I am pleased.

But at my core, there isn’t a part of me that longs to provide these services.  I am not driven to my knees with need to do so.  Were that the case, there are an infinite number of opportunities to provide service in this world without having to relinquish my power to another... and if I were aroused simply by the act of serving, I could take those opportunities and walk through life in a state of perpetual sexual bliss without ever having to involve another individual in my private affairs.

That being said, in so much as these are sources of happiness for me and I do wish to be happy in my life, then yes, one could say that I desire and crave these types of service... but they aren’t the main type of service that “floats my boat”.

Beyond these common ideas of service there is one type that may be universally understood, but I believe is often forgotten or at least not spoken of frequently. The service that I’m referring to is the kind of service that one thinks about a Knight giving his king... it is fealty.  The desire to be in the presence of someone who embodies the essence of all that you hold dear in humanity.  To be on bended knee (or knees) pledging all that you are in adoration.  If you look up “fealty” in a thesaurus, you get the synonyms of allegiance, adherence, ardor, constancy, dedication, deference, devotion, duty, faithfulness, fidelity, homage, honor, loyalty, obedience, obligation, and piety.  To me, those words describe the ultimate service... the ultimate submission... the ultimate turn-on.

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ORIGINAL: Sanguinarian

Would anyone like to detail what they believe 'submissive service' means?