xssve
Posts: 3589
Joined: 10/10/2009 Status: offline
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There is an element of force implied in the word slave itself, it's certainly more than implied in the legal definition, but force is fantasy too, whether it arises from insecurity, and we all have some of that, or sheer thrill value - like riding a roller coaster: you have no control over the thing, but you trust the operator not fling you off into the lake or something. It does not imply a lack of value, which is another trip entirely, and "slavery" in the lifestyle sense, is not synonymous with humiliation/degradation, even if they are occasionally found in conjunction, and it takes a tough soul to absorb that kind of abuse, and if you can't absorb it, we would probably have to call it abuse. But, they are two different trips, and we have two different labels to describe them, even if one them is a little fuzzy - it's pretty easy to nail down humiliation/degradation, and it does not even require a d/s relationship, much less an m/s relationship. There are other values to examine here as well that might be more definitive: duration for example - slave implies a long term proprietary relationship, whereas a submissive could mean anything from bottom sceneing to a 24/7 till death do us part. In a way, I think the real underlying assumption is that in a Master/Slave relationship only the Master can call it off by emancipating you, among other possibilities, but it doesn't mean that a D/S relationship is therefore theoretically any less committed, but it's assumed to be a more mutual commitment. In short it's not hard and fast, there is no hard and fast here, legally there is no difference between calling yourself a slave or calling yourself a submissive in the lifestyle sense, and even behaviorally not much difference either, there is probably a larger difference between say poly and monogamous, which can be found in both M/S and D/S - they are quantitatively similar, it's just the specific dynamics of the thing might qualitatively differ, as fetishes often do. When you say "slave", the thing you are invoking is ownership: the slave is assumed to be property. It's only hypothetically in this instance, you are virtual property, only real property in direct ratio to what degree you conform to the legal definition.
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Walking nightmare...
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