01.05 Philosophy: Submission

As slavery is firmly out of the mainstream consciousness, its definition is determined by those involved, and that definition is different for each Master and each slave. It is important at the onset to define what slavery actually is. What works for one Master and slave may not work for another. Some want extremes, some want casual play. It is always different. Confusion is prevalent and terminology, even if defined, is interpreted differently.

A common feature of every single Master-slave relationship is submission. Of course, complimenting this feature is dominance. Without one, the other cannot be there, and with both the relationship can begin, unequal at the start. The idea of equality, in many aspects of life, is idealistic, though impractical, and against the evolutionary practice. Permeating throughout many facets of society are a myriad of examples of people dominating others. This is the natural course of things. This is accepted. This is the norm. It is a form of cooperation, a means for us to get along with others in the world, and often we adapt our submissive and dominant personalities to different situations, exploring submissiveness at one time, dominance at another.

Within a Master-slave relationship a slave is submissive all the time, and the Master dominant all the time. This does not mean a slave is denied any recognition of his dominant traits if he had any. Whilst some Masters will require and demand their slave to be submissive in all social interactions, most accept a slave’s need to interact with work colleagues, family, and friends according to their natural disposition, which may come across as dominant.

It is the development of the submission and the furthering of a Master’s dominance that is a crucial building block within a Master-slave relationship. A slave must submit and a Master must dominate for slavery to exist.

However, even with submission and dominance present and alive within a relationship, those alone do not make slavery, like every relationship, mainstream or otherwise, involves degrees of submission and dominance in different areas, by different partners, at different times. Just because one partner is always submissive and the other always dominant, does not mean that slavery exists. There are more crucial factors that need also to be present.

The most crucial and essential factor to have in place, alongside dominance and submission, is change. Someone who dominates another within boundaries, or perhaps not, and controls, for example, sexual, domestic, exercise, and social situations is a dominant, a top. Of course, there would be elements of change as that sort of relationship progressed and matured. On the other hand, someone who dominates another within boundaries, or perhaps not, and controls, for example, sexual, domestic, exercise, and social situations to change how a slave behaves within those situations to create a perfect submissive, is a Master. A Master takes the raw material that is a potential slave and changes that into what the Master wants the slave to become. A top uses the raw material that a submissive surrenders and controls it. This element of change that is so necessary for real slavery to exist is a feature lacking in many so-called Master-slave relationships.

A slave cannot be a slave without this willingness to be changed and molded by his Master. A slave who allows himself to be used merely for a Master’s pleasure is not a slave in the real sense. He is a submissive.

As an observer and active participant in the Master-slave subculture, it is evident that many people who seek slavery are looking for dominance and submission, and that is not the same as slavery. With dominance and submission, there is always an element of negotiation permeating the relationship. As things develop, the negotiations restart. A submissive always invariably has a degree of control, sometimes only a small amount, but nevertheless it is there. The submissive retains the power to some extent.

It is often expressed and is indeed often true, that in a dominant-submissive relationship, the submissive holds the real power, and the dominant needs the submissive’s consent to enhance and develop the control. In a Master-slave relationship, there is no ‘topping from the bottom’. In slavery, a Master controls absolutely everything with unchallengeable power and real authority. And so, alongside submission and change, a third essential factor in a Master-slave relationship is an absence of power on the part of the slave. A real slave has no power whatsoever. A slave does not influence the relationship to any great extent. A slave submits himself to modification and change. A slave surrenders all power to his Master. A slave is given only those rights and freedoms the Master deems fit to give him to enhance the developing slavery, and even then a Master may take these away, for the same purpose.

If a man allows himself to become submissive, if a man allows himself to be changed and if a man allows himself to be powerless, then consensual slavery can begin to grow. And it is my firm opinion, that without all these three factors present, to varying degrees, then it is not slavery. Of course, there are many other essential ingredients necessary to support and stabilize these three factors so that slavery can flourish and come alive. (More on these later.)

Real slavery is extremely rare. And understandably so. It takes a great deal of courage and conviction to submit to this extent to someone else, and it is useful to consider what sort of person can do this.

A person who becomes a slave is a person who has been destined to become a slave. A slave cannot change his inner nature, nor can go against it. If a person can submit, is willing to be changed, and is comfortable surrendering power, then that person can decide to become a slave. Slavery is something that is with a real slave all the time. It is an innate state of mind, one that is there and not created. Certainly, a potential slave can be forced to submit, but no one can be forced to allow himself to be changed, or to surrender power. This has to be willingly surrendered and can only be done so if the person authorizing this, actually desires it. Alongside the consent necessary for consensual slavery to exist, whereby a slave consents to be submissive, to be modified, to be powerless, there has to also be an innate willingness and capability, on the part of the slave, to be able to go through with this. And it is at this point that many realize that, whilst, an exciting prospect, the reality of this is inconceivable. And there is nothing wrong with discovering that slavery is not something attainable. It is not for everyone, naturally. But for those who do submit, who do allow change, who do surrender power, and who can do these things willingly, then real slavery does become a reality.

A slave in this position, with this capacity to allow himself to become the man he is meant to be, cannot fight his inner nature. A slave needs to accept himself for who he is. There are few public role models to show it is possible to lead this sort of life safely and securely. The popular image of seediness and depravity, darkness, and insecurity does not help enable a slave to become secure in his role. A slave needs to accept his slavery and the need to become a slave. Self-esteem is important here, as it is for us all to help attain happiness. For those who are sexually unconventional, it is an important consideration. It is easy to feel ashamed, anxious, and isolated. We need to accept ourselves for who we are and develop that. Being sexually different does not mean being immoral, less decent, or less precious than others. Whilst humiliation, or even dehumanization, may be part of the slave training, it cannot be allowed to destabilize a slave’s core self-esteem and his belief in his innate ability to be a slave. This sort of humiliation only serves to destroy, not build, slavery. Also, a slave who constantly demeans himself is probably not worthy of serious ownership. These expressions of being worthless or pathetic are often a sign that he is, and is therefore entering into slavery for the wrong reasons. Unfortunately, for some, slavery is a wank fantasy.

A real slave who believes in the three factors, and has the innate ability to implement these factors, does have self-appreciation, does have self-esteem, and does have self-worth.

An influential element affecting a slave’s self-esteem and his value as a person is the idea that a slave is considered the property of his Master. This is a complex issue as it is often assumed alongside this that a slave has little value or importance. This is not the case, for either material possessions or slaves. Property is determined by its usefulness, properties, need, price, desire, attachments, functionality, and happiness potential. Every possession has value for different reasons. To consider a slave a possession is up to the Master. I do not consider a slave to be a possession. For me, there is a distinct difference. For me, a slave is an extension of myself. I take his submission, I change him into what I want him to become, I accept the power he surrenders to me, and I use his innate slave ability to make him feel part of me.

In conclusion, slavery exists when there are three motivating factors present: the ability of a slave to submit, the willingness of a slave to be changed, and the surrendering of power from the slave to the Master. These factors can only become reality if a slave has the innate ability to allow these to happen, and this innate ability has to be complemented with secure self-esteem and a sense of self-worth.

This is the foundation on which any form of serious Master-slave relationship begins. Each relationship adds different weight to each factor; each relationship explores slavery differently. It is my view, that each of these needs to be present for real, consensual slavery to exist and flourish. If this is the case, then other essential ingredients are added to enhance the flavor of the relationship, and these ingredients provide stepping stones along the path towards true and total slavery.