puella
Posts: 2457
Joined: 12/2/2004 Status: offline
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Gift- Something that is bestowed voluntarily and without compensation. Tribute- 1: something given or done as an expression of esteem 2: payment by one nation for protection by another 3: payment extorted by gangsters on threat of violence; "every store in the neighborhood had to pay him protection" Contribution- Any one of a number of individual efforts in a common endeavor I am putting these definitions of the words which have been used in responses to this (and the other on the Mistress Board) post… just to clarify what we are actually working with here. I really do not know why the whole ‘Tribute’ concept fucks me off so, but it does. Perhaps it is because of the misuse of the word tribute… One does not ask for, and certainly one does not DEMAND a tribute. That is not a tribute, that is a fee or an expectation or an extortion (which word applies I suppose depends upon the persons involved). If you are a pro-Domme (I have no problem with ProDom/mes)… you demand a fee for service, not a tribute. A tribute is voluntary and more often than not, merit based donation (not exclusively monetary). So.. by demanding a ‘tribute’ in your profile, before the person even knows you… nullifies the merit idea. So is it then that these Dom/mes are really just looking for a contribution within their relationships? I really don’t think so.. Every responsible and able bodied adult should certainly ante up their share in a relationship. Again, this is not only monetary. Sometimes, it makes more sense for one partner to stay home and take care of the children and household needs, rather than get a job that my not pay as much as what it would cost otherwise to have those needs met, etc. In a relationship of any kind, both partners have to ‘contribute’ to the relationship. That is just common sense. It is also not what most of these people are talking about when they demand ‘tributes’. There is also the point that a tribute and a contribution are two totally different things. Is it a gift? Well… no… again, by demanding a gift, you nullify it being just that. A gift is not given at a demand, that is a payment, fee, demand or some sort of extortion. The concept of ‘demanding tribute’, beyond being an oxymoronic statement, also changes the dynamic. To demand payment for interaction between relationship partners, jerks you out of a relationship and into a pecuniary transaction. So stop saying you are looking for a relationship for gods sake and just fess up.. You want money/things and you are willing to sell the appearance of a BDSM relationship, in whatever form, for a period of time, based upon the amount the purchaser is willing to pay… I suppose you could also include some sort of bartering into this equation as it I am sure many would be willing to forgo a check for toys, cars, furs, or what ever floats your boat and meets your specifications and needs within the transaction. That’s my two cents… and it’s not a tribute.. it’s a donation!
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