Philosophy of BDSM

[trojan_man_co]

Wahooo

ok first and foremost this all is GREAT!!!!! i love all of your input. i have had a really shitty weekend (car got broken into and a lot stolen in a church parking lot) but reading all of your replies has cheered me up. I love all of the different views on every thing.

the one in particular i wanted to address was the nature vs nurture concept. i personally feel that its not singularly one over the other but similar to the bisexual comment, that genetics allow a possible predisposition to something, and then our environment pushes us one way or another. I don’t feel that we are neutral on EVERYTHING, for example some people are predisposed to psychitsophrenia but until a stressor occurs they aren’t. Which is why a lot of different mental disorders suddenly appear in the middle of someone’s life and not from the moment there born.

Secondly I’m sorry if I didn’t find other threads on the subject but there’s no harm in discussing it any more.

 

[trojan_man_co]

I think it is possible for a person with an open mind and some intelligence mixed with comon sense to be able to understand why a person might like something, but I think it is impossible for anyone to actual explain why a person likes anything.

I like butter pecan ice cream. Why? Haven't a clue, but I know I like it. I probably could write an analysis or try to derive a philisophical view of why I like butter pecan Ice cream moreso than other flavers of icecream ect..., but at the end of it all, if you asked me why...I would simply shrug and say, "I dunno, I just do."

I find your answer fascinating and one of the simplest yet most conclusive arguments. I know it answers absolutely nothing, but at the same time it answers everything which is why I like it.

Welp, seeing as how we're talking degrees, I have one in philosophy. I've read, and written, loads on the topic. What you mention above is less philosophy and more psychology. Probably appropriate given your background. Philosophy tackles different questions, such as why we procreate at all in a broken world, but I guess I get where you are coming from.

In general, you are talking about motivations, not philosophy. Well, unless you are using "philosophy" in a more personal sense to indicate the guiding principles, if you will, behind a given person's sexual decisions.

Philosophy asks the meta-questions. Less, "Why do you like BDSM?" and more "What does it mean to like any given thing?" RJ touches on this in his example of butter pecan. Answer me what it means to "like" or "prefer" something, and why, and we can boost this thread into the realm of philosophy. Until then, motivations might be a better arena of discussion.

My motivation? Simply put, it makes me hard. I don't really feel the need for too awful much introspection beyond that insofar as power and sex are concerned. I have spent much more time examining my motivations behind my poly predilection.

Your absolutely right that I have only taken a couple classes in philosophy so 99% of my theories are psychology based, so in honor of the more philosophical question you posed, what would prompt someone to be drawn to bdsm and enjoy it or any thing else sexually related for that matter?

I have a BSc in Economics. I believe the BDSM lifestyle was cooked up in 1982 by the farming industry as a way of getting people to buy more leather goods. If you think I'm letting a good opportunity to flaunt my degree go by, you're nuts.

...right, I'll be leaving now.

Have you ever read freakenomics? I HIGHLY recommend it. In it, it goes through and tries to explain the world similar to your joke about the farming industry but actually then backs up its claims with some evidence. It’s a VERY fascinating book that really makes you think.