could we be normal, and they are the freaks?

[WriterDom]

Think about it. It wasn't that long ago that if a woman walked into a police station and said, "My husband spanked me with a yardstick and I want him arrested."

And they would reply, "Well, what did you do to bring this about?"

And she would say, "I was backing the Model T out of the driveway and hit a tree."

And the police would say, "Well, Mrs. Jones, I guess you'll be more careful now."

 

[James G 5]

Think about it. It wasn't that long ago that if a woman walked into a police station and said, "My husband spanked me with a yardstick and I want him arrested."

And they would reply, "Well, what did you do to bring this about?"

And she would say, "I was backing the Model T out of the driveway and hit a tree."

And the police would say, "Well, Mrs. Jones, I guess you'll be more careful now."

That was obviously intended as humor, but I think it raises the issues of blurring the line we try to draw between what we do and abuse
Hitting your spouse non-consensually for displeasing you is abuse, plain and simple, and that sort of idea is what allows "normal" people and their single-minded "moral gaurdians" to demonize us

 

[morninggirl5]

I had a very long discussion with someone about this a week or so ago. My position is that if all sexual behavior is thrown in the mix, that we're all perfectly normal.


Of course, i consider myself to be fairly normal all the way around and those that know me vehemently disagree, so i'm probably not that good an example.

 

[FungiUg]

Er... what is "normal" other than a statistical average? No one is "normal", really. We all have our oddities. So rather than aiming to be the "norm", let's celebrate our difference!

 

[Ebonyfire]

Er... what is "normal" other than a statistical average? No one is "normal", really. We all have our oddities. So rather than aiming to be the "norm", let's celebrate our difference!

Well you know there is the old bell curve!

 

[FungiUg]

Well you know there is the old bell curve!

Yes... but where are you on the bell curve? Let's talk socio-economic, location, employment, hobbies, relationships, sexuality, health, fitness, taste in books, movies, music -- the list is endless.

You might be perfectly "normal" (i.e. near the statistical mean) in one or more of those categories, but quite "deviant" (oooh, I wanna be two standard deviations!) from another.

Point to someone who is perfectly normal, and I'll point to the same person and say "boring."

(the other trick with the bell curve is it's only valid for perfecly distributed samples, such as random events. I very much doubt the human race is "perfectly distributed" in any category.)

 

[entitled]

i'm perfectly disturbed!

Oh. Wait. That's distributed. Never mind.

 

[Ebonyfire]

Yes... but where are you on the bell curve? Let's talk socio-economic, location, employment, hobbies, relationships, sexuality, health, fitness, taste in books, movies, music -- the list is endless.

You might be perfectly "normal" (i.e. near the statistical mean) in one or more of those categories, but quite "deviant" (oooh, I wanna be two standard deviations!) from another.

Point to someone who is perfect, and I'll point to the same person and say "boring."

(the other trick with the bell curve is it's only valid for perfecly distrubuted samples, such as random events. I very much doubt the human race is "perfectly distributed" in any category.)

I am a standard deviant.

 

[MissTaken]

There was a time when bondage and discipline were an expected component to marraiges. I am thinking in terms of several centuries ago.

It seems to me that we became perverse and freaky when people started trying label the many dynamics of human behavior and personality.

Any thoughts?

 

[niteshade]

Who wants to be normal, anyway? I would think it would be a very boring existance.

Niteshade

 

[Etoile]

There was a time when bondage and discipline were an expected component to marraiges. I am thinking in terms of several centuries ago.

Discipline, maybe, but bondage? I've never heard of such a thing. What cultures practiced this?

 

[Netzach]

Uhhhhh I think when discipline and the rule of thumb were standard in marriages we were doing a LOT of categorizing and labeling, there's nothing free to be me in that kind of traditional setup when it's the only option, is there?

 

[FungiUg]

There was a time when bondage and discipline were an expected component to marraiges. I am thinking in terms of several centuries ago.

Er, in which culture? In some cultures, it's never been acceptable. Also, I doubt bondage was terribly common in most marriages. Discipline yes, but this has never been uncommon. The last century has been, perhaps, the first century where people have actively discouraged violence on such a level as we do now.