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The scene on the beach involving the violent assault on the woman was absolutely astonishing - not so much in the act itself, shocking as it was, but in the way the perpetrator was so able to *know* that nobody would question his actions or attempt in any way to call him to account.

And one thing that especially stood out to me was how the Aussie "sceptic" - who could be said to be the only one approaching things with a truly open mind - had by that time become so embroiled in the brainwashed mentality of others around him that not only did he fail to acknowledge that a woman had just been physically attacked right in front of him, but he seemed more enthusiastic than anybody to continue the exercise afterwards, taking everything at face value as though nothing was wrong. Never underestimate the power of peer pressure, I suppose.

In a less obvious way, I sometimes see the BDSM world as potentially similar in terms of potential for brainwashing and a "cult" mentality. OK to practice in ones own life according to ones own parameters, in some ways often beneficial to discuss among others and give/receive mutual support and understanding.

BUT,

Where there is TOO deep an immersion in the communal world of BDSM - whether it be exclusively or predominantly "scene" social interaction, excessive time online grappling with "BDSM theory", too obsessive fantasising, either alone or in collaboration with an online "penpal", at the expense of time spent in everyday reality - is bound to distort ones perception of reality, of other people, and of one's own place in the world.

Attitudes and behaviour we deplore when considered in a rational, detached light become accepted as "the way things are" - even though they are only "the norm" in some consensus of other peoples' often unrealistic, unsustainable or unachievable obsessions. Conformity to an obsessional fantasty vision becomes the comparative yardstick for "good", "bad", "right" or "wrong" - superseding all other standards for relating to other people in the *real* world, as *real* people.

One thing I have observed about the kink world consistently over many years is that excessive obsession over fantasy and kink leads far too easily to self-obsession. Hence the predominance of demanding, kink-selfish subs and materially or emotionally self-centred "dominant toxaemic" dominants everyone complains about ad nauseam online.

And excessive exposure to peer pressure, especially when it is of the mutually congratulatory and self-justifying nature that seems so prevalent in the BDSM world, can only exaggerate these tendencies.

It is not just flaky "new age" types who are susceptible. Peer pressure can be a powerful and distorting influence on all of us.

I AM THE GOD OF HELL-FIRE!.....but its my lunch break right now

Edited 8 Mar 10, 5:09 PM by BigOldHector

Because you are lucky? I would have said more likely simply because you are dominant and female - i.e. at an inbuilt advantage numerically, so you CAN do more or less as you please without pressure to conform to the expectations of others.

Maybe I haven't expressed it very well but in the context of what I meant to say, even that in itself could be considered a potentially negative or even harmful area of peer pressure.

"Identikit" conformity is not the issue I was raising so much as peer pressure to accept or justify counterproductive or unrealistic ways of thinking and conduct.

I AM THE GOD OF HELL-FIRE!.....but its my lunch break right now