This post is a little outside my usual material, as it features a scene description with a female submissive and at least one male dominant. However, I found it a thought provoking read and I’m guessing others may feel the same way.
The scene in question is a lengthy interrogation, featuring several dominants and submissives, and incorporating a lot of the techniques the US military have used. For example, stress positions, loud noise, sensory deprivation, breath control and, the really controversial one, water boarding. Emma Jane, one of the female submissives interrogated, wrote a detailed description of it on her blog. It’s an intense read.
This is the second time in the last few days that I’ve linked to what I would call an extreme activity. The previous post on scat and toilet play generated some interesting comments and can be read here. Both of these activities fall well outside the conventional BDSM play that takes place every day in bedrooms and pro-domme dungeons. But speaking from a personal perspective, I actually have a much easier job understanding the appeal of the scat play than I do this interrogation scene. I may not want to be a human toilet, but I get the buttons it pushes in terms of worship, service, intimacy and a kind of personalized objectification (if that’s not a contradiction in terms). This kind of interrogation seems to go way beyond that typical power exchange, and into a brutal stripping away of power. I always feel that even in very cruel sadistic play, the dominant has some sort of emotional connection with the submissive. It might be a twisted complex connection, but it’s still there. This scene appears to try and do everything possible to remove that, which makes it really difficult for me to get into and understand their headspace.
This isn’t to say I don’t understand the appeal of interrogation scenes. I can certainly imagine role playing an exciting scene with sadistic secret policewomen in their underground torture cellar (to pick a random example from my fevered imagination). Some old fashioned electrodes on the testicles or needles under the fingernails seems so much more personal and understandable.
I also struggle a little with the idea of doing water boarding scenes. Not from a safety or play perspective, but from their current political context. It makes me sick to think that the US military has tortured prisoners, and it somehow seems wrong to adopt their latest techniques for our ‘entertainment’. I realize this isn’t an entirely rational viewpoint, but closeness in time and space to awfulness does seem to matter. Role playing a Vietnam POW torture scene today might be weird, but I don’t think anyone would be too upset. It would have been a lot more troubling to do in back in the 60’s when American POW’s were actively suffering.
Anyway, while I might not personally be queuing up for an afternoon in the woods with this group of dominants, I do admire the courage and dedication it take to go through with this type of play. Not to mention the level of trust needed, and the skill required to pull it off properly. My thanks to Emma Jane for the fascinating write-up.
P-
I haven’t read the interrogation link yet, but will. However, just from your post, I see we completely agree on the aspects of, say, scat play versus disconnected interrogation scenes.
I, too, crave and need the bond and connection with my Mistress, so that I can endure extremes. For example, I could see, in some extreme situations, consenting to consume my Mistress’ excrement, but I have no desire to be a full toilet at some party for unknown people of either/both genders.
A note on waterboarding? I can’t recall, but I think you immigrated to the US from the UK?
Let me remind you that the people allegedly waterboarded by US personnel- not necessarily uniformed armed forces- in Iraq, were NOT military prisoners and, thus, not under Geneva accords protection. They were reputed terrorists, certainly not uniformed military.
To me, they are no different than the terrorists who decapitated former WSJ correspondent Daniel Perle, simply because he was Jewish.
Anyway, I concur with your feelings regarding torture and torment that strives to remove a connection between Mistress and submissive, rather than strengthen it.
-saratoga
Read the linked post.
I confess that I don’t understand the appeal of that type of interrogation scene. I realize it was consensual, so I have to wonder why on earth anyone would submit to that. Okay, for their own pleasure, I suppose, at experiencing those extremes.
It is just so not moi. Reading it was painful. I just don’t equate what I read with submission at all. Merely playing a game of enduring capture and imprisonment.
Maybe masochism, but, imo, definitely NOT FemDom.
-saratoga
saratoga –
I think the thing that fascinated me (other than the general wow that’s intense factor) was how little I related to it. And that’s really rare for me with respect to kink. I like to think I kind of get almost all play on some level, even if it’s not something for me. For example, adult/baby play doesn’t appeal at all, and neither do heavy public humilation scenes. But I can understand the buttons they’re pushing in people. I really struggle to do that with this. Like you I need some sort of human connection in the scene. Maybe that’s a useful insight into the way non-kinky people perceive stuff we see as interesting?
As far as nationality goes, I moved UK to US a little over a decade ago. I’ll probably take dual citizenship sometime in the next year or two.
I really don’t want to get into a political discussion here, as nobody comes to this blog for that, and there’s zero change of changing people’s minds. So I’ll resist the temptation to write a lot on the water boarding topic. But since it’s my blog, I will post a very short response 🙂
Specifically I believe: It is always wrong to torture a prisoner. No exceptions. It’s one of the things (along with free speech, habeas corpus, freedom of religion, etc. etc.) that makes us quantifiably better than them.
OK. Politics over. We return to your regularly scheduled program of dominant women and (consensually) abused men.
P-
Tx for your reply. I respect your attitude about the political comments, and it is your blog, so you’re entitled. 🙂
I just couldn’t refrain from pointing out some legal technicalities. Thanks for your forbearance.
-saratoga