If a Tree Falls...

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around, does it make a sound?"

It is a classic, philosophical riddle that points to the effects of observation on what is "real."  It can be argued that understanding any word relating to perception, "sight" for example, or "sound", implies some conscious entity perceiving (listening, or seeing).  If there is no consciousness present to perceive (in the case of sound) the vibrations in a medium, there is no sound, even though the vibrations are there.  Simply, the tree still falls; still creates the vibrations implicit in that falling, but without anyone to "hear" there is no "sound."

Consensual slavery is a little like that tree, falling all alone in the forest.  It goes on, but when it is unobserved and unnoticed, it is a qualitatively different thing even though it is by definition, an endeavor that should be mostly unnoticed.  Someone once told me that since I'd chosen to be a slave, I should just slave.  It was a bit of an admonishment that reminded me of the much earlier bit of advice I was given in this lifestyle:  "Submissives submit."  At the most basic level, it is as simple as that.  Almost Nike-ish -- "Just do it."  Masters tend to feel that it isn't their job to make slavery happen.  Having a slave shouldn't make more work for the Master. 

I get all of that.  I agree with it on principle.  It is a little daunting, however.  The Interwebz would have one believe that slavery in the context of BDSM is somehow hot, exciting, and sexy.  Where are all the porn sites that advertise hot Asian babes doing laundry?  Or those BBW doing the dishes?  Or women with big boobs mopping the floor and scouring the tub?  What about all the thousands and thousands and thousands of pages of material about rituals and routines and protocols and training and maintenance and head space and ... do any of them address the intricacies of taking out the trash?  Slavery is about routine, about repetition, about finding some sort of gratification in the absence of anyone to notice, affirm, reinforce, or value the effort -- today and tomorrow and the day after that.  Boredom, isolation, and the endless work to keep the internal mental chatter quiet fill the days and nights when one is "into" slavery.  Most people who are familiar with lifestyle dynamics will insist that people enter into power dynamics in order to meet their own needs and fulfill their own desires, and I believe that is true.  I do think, however, that for those who follow the path of consensual slavery, that road to self-fulfillment is very different than most people think.

swan