John Klein <zarkon at illrepute.org> writes: > On Wed, 16 Feb 2005, Paul Echeverri wrote: > > @> >You know, I think most of the BDSM enthusiasts I know would disagree with > @> >you. Although, honestly, it's difficult or perhaps even impossible to > @> >disentagle genetic predisposition from behavioral conditioning anyway. > @> > > @> With respect, most BDSM enthusiasts are not credible sources of > @> information about the psychology of their enthusiasms. > > Fair enough. Our two 'mosts' may not overlap there, though. > > @> There is a significant membership overlap between Usenet sexual abuse > @> recovery newsgroups and BDSM newsgroups. This overlap is either never > @> discussed or its interest hotly denied, sometimes to the point of > @> absurdity -- I recall at least one claim that the poster's abuse had > @> *nothing to do* with their BDSM interests, while discussing a 'scene' > @> that closely replicated the circumstances of the abuse as described in > @> the recovery newsgroup. > > On the other hand, I have personal knowledge of several members of this > community who have not been abused, or even severely traumatized, at any > point in their lives. That's not to say that childhood abuse can't be a > source of sadistic or masochistic behavior (it would be foolish to deny > that), simply that I'm not willing to say "all BDSM behavior is based on > childhood trauma", since counterexamples exist. "All BDSM behavior is > psychological" is even more difficult. If I like a certain flavor of > potato chips, is that because my parents got them one time for that really > great birthday party when I was seven, or because my taste buds happen to > react well to their components? Or is it even a clear-cut case of > either/or? And a number of the people *I* know in the community find the possible connection between abuse and BDSM both specifically and generally fascinating; not something to be denied without consideration. -- David Dyer-Bennet, <mailto:dd-b at dd-b.net>, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/> RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/> <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/> Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/> <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/> Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/>