LIVING A LEGITIMATE LIFESTYLE
Over the past six months, I have conducted a number of interviews on the subject, MY LIFE – MY WAY. The core theme is that so long as it does not negatively impact anyone else – everyone has the right and, indeed, the responsibility to live life their way. You can listen to some of these interviews on Life’s Hierarchy under – the heading – Podcasts.
I firmly believe that no human should live in a way that negatively impacts anyone else. That is why we should not fire a shotgun in the local park, drive drunk, smoke in close proximity to other people, or text while walking along the footpath, firing a gun in a local park and driving while drunk run the risk of killing someone. Smoking in the street has the potential to give others cancer, and texting while walking can lead to collisions. In all cases, there is at least a risk to others.
That 10% or thereabouts of all humans and indeed all mammals are homosexual affects no one and has the potential to affect no one who is not directly involved. As my 88-years old father said about the same-sex marriage debate – ‘If you don’t like gay marriage – don’t do it.’ If you don’t do it, it will never affect you and if you want to marry someone of your own gender – go for it. That two people have a relationship affects no one else – so there should be no barrier to doing it.
Personally, I don’t care who fucks who – but the idea of marriage leaves me cold. I digress.
As I have completed these interviews, my attention has been drawn to the similarities between the gay community – and its quest to achieve social acceptance and equality through marriage – and the BDSM community – and its quest to be accepted in a community that still expects sites like this to remain underground. Certainly, the plight of the gay community might be more important because it affects more people (I think) and can have a profound impact on their lives – but the parallels seem clear (to me at least).
Most of what the BDSM community and its members are engaged in has no effect and impacts not at all on people who are not directly participating. Just as two gay people having sex affects no one other than the people concerned, two adults participating in BDSM play do not affect anyone other than those participating. I see no reason whatsoever why members of the broader community should shun or take any action whatsoever to inhibit the ability of adults to participate in BDSM activities – given that it is safe and consenting.
The broader community should have no say whatsoever in what people in the BDSM community get up to. Indeed, in a free society, they should defend our rights to do whatever we like, so long as it negatively impacts no-one. I would also argue that no member of the BDSM community should have any say whatsoever in what other members of the BDSM community do or how we behave. I have been told that there are members of the BDSM community who like to set guidelines regarding what others in the community should and should not do.
My message to them is – fuck you!
When I want to do something, I ask myself just three questions:
- Is it legal?
- Will anyone get hurt?
- Will The participants enjoy it?
If the answers are yes, no, and yes – I go for it. I don’t care what the BDSM community or the broader community think. No one should care what they think.
Strictly speaking, my views are not in line with those of a textbook definition of ‘libertarian’ – but I am a fervent believer in the notion of – ‘live and let live.’ What is more, I argue that the sooner all of us embrace this view – the sooner the world will evolve into something befitting a 21st-century intellect.
Everyone I know in the BDSM community is living a legitimate lifestyle and all power to them.