What is a slave, really?

[Ozme52]

The problem here is and always will be that there is a continuum,largely without obvious boundaries, between (and in no particular order, well sort of,) Master/Mistress, Dom/me, Top, S/switch, bottom, sub, and slave.

Where each lies in describing a portion of that continuum and where the boundaries between them are is a matter of unending debate. No one will ever be totally happy with another's definitions unless they happen to fall exactly within the same boundaries.

Russell, I was certainly one of the naysayers back then... your definitions left me out. Yet we agree on so many other things.

delia, to say a slave is owned but a sub is not... somehow leaves out a host of subs I've talked to... including my own.

Language is too pliable. "Bird" You know exactly what I mean... certainly a horse is not a bird... nor is a snake... You know it has feathers, two legs and two wings. But birds lay eggs like (most) snakes. But birds are warm blooded like (most?) mammals. And what is a platypus?

I think trying to define and describe roles with single words will never entirely work within the lifestyle. The moment you do... the exceptions will overwhelm you.

[His_blizzard]

delia, to say a slave is owned but a sub is not... somehow leaves out a host of subs I've talked to... including my own.

To further confuse the issue, Master once said to me " You are my submissve, not my slave. You belong to me, but I don't own you." That might be confusing to some but it made perfect sense to me.
Have a great day! "Peace" ~blizz~

[newby]

To further confuse the issue, Master once said to me " You are my submissve, not my slave. You belong to me, but I don't own you." That might be confusing to some but it made perfect sense to me.
Have a great day! "Peace" ~blizz~

i like that. By definition, i am a sub not a slave. i definitely belong to Him but He does not own me. He does call me His slave sometimes for lack of a better word. i guess it would be safe to say i am His sexual slave.

[MissElizabeth87]

Language is too pliable. "Bird" You know exactly what I mean... certainly a horse is not a bird... nor is a snake... You know it has feathers, two legs and two wings. But birds lay eggs like (most) snakes. But birds are warm blooded like (most?) mammals. And what is a platypus?

I think trying to define and describe roles with single words will never entirely work within the lifestyle. The moment you do... the exceptions will overwhelm you.

I agree... Language just confuses things. My boy and I just call ourselves what it pleases us, damn the definitions.

Oh... and they've determined what a platypus is. Part bird, part reptile. The article I read called it the missing link everybody's been searching for. (Totally off topic, I know, but I just read the article and it amused me!)