What is a Master; What is a slave?

05-02-04

Some say a slave is claimed by an owner/master/mistress. Others say that a slave must submit. I have heard it intimated by still others that a slave cannot submit because being a slave, whether claimed or unclaimed, the slave already has no free will to surrender. Of course, free will being a constant subject for some people's dogmatic debates, and not what I'm trying to discuss, I'll just cut through that one and say yes I do believe in Free Will. Period.

Myself, I believe that it might not be as simple as all that.

Webster's Online Dictionary defines....

master: (noun)
1: a. (1) A male teacher c. A worker or artisan qualified to teach apprentices
2: a. one having authority over another b. one that conquers or masters d. (1) one having control (2) an owner especially of a slave or animal

slave (noun)
1: a person held in servitude as the chattel of another
2: one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence
3: a device (as the printer of a computer) that is directly responsive to another
4: drudge; toiler

(Please note, I copied all the defintions for slave but only some of the ones for master- the ones I felt were pertinent)

I'm not going to bother with the verbs for the moment, and anyone who thinks I might be making things up is cordially invited to visit Merriam Webster's online dictionary at http://www.m-w.com and see for him/her self- and then send me a letter of apology for either having doubted me or believing that I would lie.

When I took on the responsibilities of having a slave, the title "Master" became mine by rights. She and I were partners first, then lovers; then we experimented with power exchange and found that we fit together very closely and very well. After much discussion and a false start or two, she now wears my collar with pride. Don't trouble me with the "slaves are not permitted pride" line either; if she is proud to wear my collar, if it helps her to have a sense of self esteem, then she is to have and show it per my command.

What are the responsibilities of the Master? I'm glad you asked. As I see it, what has to be the first and foremost is education. See defintion 1a (1) for the noun "master." Stupid slaves not allowed in my collar, because I want a woman who can arouse my intellect at least as much as she can arouse my loins and will settle for nothing less. Definition 1c also might apply here. The other big responsibility seems to be the authority conferred with the title- to use authority unwisely is not a recommended act.

While I am not infallible, I do what I can to see that my slave learns at every opportunity. Some of the lessons are fun, some are easy; some are harsh and painful; at least one appeared to leave her with a sense of hollowness and desolation for a little while. I didn't enjoy that one any more than she did.

This thing, this mastery/slavery thing, isn't about fun and games- it is a serious commitment to another human being that at least some of us take more seriously than most people in this world nowadays seem to take their wedding vows. There is opportunity aplenty for fun and games, yes, but the responsibilities must come first.

Owl

P.S.- I'll get off of my soapbox for now.

© Owl 2004