Help Wanted (Blog)

[Lamusa]

Read this to a room full of black people. Or black women. Maybe even poor black women, especially black women over the age of 60 and see what happens. I say this because you do not look like Dave Chappelle or Chris Rock. I say this because you are male and white.

The word, “Slavery” still carries a helluva lot of baggage for a lot of people around the world who are still feeling the effects of it, still healing from it. We all are still experiencing the effects of it because this country was built on unpaid labor. We have all benefitted from it. During slavery here in America there was always the archetype of the good master who didn’t treat his slaves too badly and the slaves would even speak highly of their master. This wasn’t because their masters were good people it was because they had less work to do because the psychological conditioning had long since taken hold. And it became even more complicated as more and more babies were born from their masters relationships with black slave women and then the mulatto children born from these “unions” were treated better by the masters. There’s this great quote from Harriet Tubman which goes a little something like this: “I could have helped to free more slaves if I could have convinced them they were slaves.” Most people settle for low wages and allow their best selves to be exploited because more than this being some random, unempowered choice they made based on what most people choose in their lifetimes, this choice comes from a set of patterned responses based on a System that has its deep imprint in all of us psychologically and has for a looong time. Which is why its so baffling that many of us would choose to allow ourselves to be exploited.

It can be difficult to heal when you know there is something wrong but you don’t know what you need to heal from. We are the sum of our entire lives on this planet plus much of the unresolved, unhealed issues of our ancestors -ask Native Americans - and of course we are also so much, much more. We have chosen this human experience and chosen to ignore what our own positions in society are built on because we benefit from it and it makes our lives better and for some allows them to really be able to thrive. For me, a black woman, not being exploited in any way (sexually, economically, etc.) appeals to me because it is a way of breaking the chains of the past and healing, but with full awareness that my life will go even better when that responsibility is both personal, communal and universal.

So even if you quit your day jobs to become an entrepreneur the system will still be in place. Even if you quit your day jobs and decide to become Steve’s slave because it seems freer than other options, remember that the system will still be in place.

Lamusa

[Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi]

Originally Posted by Lamusa

Read this to a room full of black people. Or black women. Maybe even poor black women, especially black women over the age of 60 and see what happens. I say this because you do not look like Dave Chappelle or Chris Rock. I say this because you are male and white.

As a female of mixed race, I'm going go ahead and say - words don't do anything unless you give them the weight of meaning to injure. Slavery existed before the United States ever did. Once, while walking down the street with my mother, some men in a truck threw a jar of urine at us and yelled "go home, ****ing chinks."

The urine spilled across the sidewalk in front of us and my mother laughed, saying, "haha, we not even chinese." Then we kept walking. Unperturbed. People be crazy. That's not my problem. LOL.

Which is why its so baffling that many of us would choose to allow ourselves to be exploited.

By definition, exploitation is something that occurs without the consent of the person being exploited. As the somewhat offensive saying goes, you can't rape the willing. I say this tongue in cheek, having been raped 3 times in my life. I offer this info because I am sure someone will come out of the woodwork saying "how dare you, rape blah blah blah".

You can take the weight of the meaning off of the word. Then it becomes just another piece of vocabulary to use as you want, without burdens associated.

[Lamusa]

Originally Posted by Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi

As a female of mixed race, I'm going go ahead and say - words don't do anything unless you give them the weight of meaning to injure. Slavery existed before the United States ever did. Once, while walking down the street with my mother, some men in a truck threw a jar of urine at us and yelled "go home, ****ing chinks."

The urine spilled across the sidewalk in front of us and my mother laughed, saying, "haha, we not even chinese." Then we kept walking. Unperturbed. People be crazy. That's not my problem. LOL.



By definition, exploitation is something that occurs without the consent of the person being exploited. As the somewhat offensive saying goes, you can't rape the willing. I say this tongue in cheek, having been raped 3 times in my life. I offer this info because I am sure someone will come out of the woodwork saying "how dare you, rape blah blah blah".

You can take the weight of the meaning off of the word. Then it becomes just another piece of vocabulary to use as you want, without burdens associated.

For sure. I was focusing mostly on American slavery because I grew up in America. But I am first generation. My parents are immigrants from the Caribbean. I could go on and on about slavery in different islands or how it manifested itself in South America and the results of this today but that's another show. Colonialism would be more the operative word that opens the discussion up even more. And though I am not biracial I am mixed race, too. African, European, Indian(whatever that means right? Their just words at the end of the day and classifications I did not grow up in Africa, India or Europe but that doesn't mean that I am not influenced at all whether I realize it or by these different classifications and roles in history) And I know sticks and stones and words are just words at the end of the day but someone can call me a slave or an n-word or a b*tch and I can just say to myself well I am none of those things and still go to a job I hate and allow a man to hit and verbally abuse me. My responsibility? Of course, yes, largely so, but there's a disconnect in many of us about a lot of things because they are so deeply entrenched in us and systemic. We can take the weight of the word out of it but slavery still exists whether we use the word or not.

"Consent" is also an interesting thing too because it implies that we are always aware of the patterned conditioning we are operating under. Many people are unaware of a lot of things because they are just trying to get some food to eat and to feed their families and not get sick. For instance, people struggling in Japan because of the devastation right now are just trying to survive. Me, I'm just looking forward to eating the meal my boyfriend is going to make for me later and writing maybe painting a picture. But some ♥♥♥♥♥ goes down around here my needs will certainly change I'll put the pen and the paintbrush aside and grab what I can of that delicious dinner and run like hell. I have the luxury (as probably many of us on these forums have) due to my conditioning to explore these ideas though my life is far from luxurious. I did not grow up black and poor. I grew up far from wealthy however. A lot of my patterns (for better or worse) come from being part of the middle class - black Caribbean black American immigrant New York style. Of course we are still subject to consequences whether we consciously or unconsciously give our consent or not. The question is how does one accept full responsiblity for their lives when either they are too burdened with more pressing responsibilities to realize their responsibility? We might be giving less and less power over to words but most of our power is still being given over to systems.

[ssandra]

I think you are completely misunderstanding something here...

Nobody is calling you a slave. Nobody is treating you as a slave. Nobody is taking away your right to choose.

Somebody is offering you the position of slave to which you can simply say "no thank you" and move on with your life.

For those who are interested in this type of life style, trust me, we are extremely aware of the power we have of our lifes, exactly because (at times) we choose to give it away.

Important word here : CHOOSE.

Is this the same as the real slavery that used to happen and still happens in some parts of the world? No of course not.
Do we use the same word? Yes, we do. Why? Cause it fits.

Does that mean that we are in favor of real slavery? NO. Of course not.

Does it mean that we like playing at real slavery, with only voluntary people? Yes, it does.

Do children who play cowboy and Indian really want to oppress Indians (or cowboys, depending on who is winning )? No, of course not. It is just a game with only willing participants.

[Erinn]

Hugh Hefner + Jesus = Steve Pavlina

...or Gaius Baltar

(whichever you prefer)

[Savage]

"All men are created equal." - Thomas Jefferson, owner of 200 slaves.

Jefferson hated slavery and actually wanted to abolish it, but the political climate at the time made it unrealistic to enact such sweeping changes. So he continued to depend on it himself. He had his slaves tear down and rebuild his estate house (Monticello) probably a half-dozen times.

In the end it didn't work out for him though. He died broke and in debt, and his estate had to be auctioned off.

[Lamusa]

Originally Posted by ssandra

I think you are completely misunderstanding something here...

Nobody is calling you a slave. Nobody is treating you as a slave. Nobody is taking away your right to choose.

Somebody is offering you the position of slave to which you can simply say "no thank you" and move on with your life.

For those who are interested in this type of life style, trust me, we are extremely aware of the power we have of our lifes, exactly because (at times) we choose to give it away.

Important word here : CHOOSE.

Is this the same as the real slavery that used to happen and still happens in some parts of the world? No of course not.
Do we use the same word? Yes, we do. Why? Cause it fits.

Does that mean that we are in favor of real slavery? NO. Of course not.

Does it mean that we like playing at real slavery, with only voluntary people? Yes, it does.

Do children who play cowboy and Indian really want to oppress Indians (or cowboys, depending on who is winning )? No, of course not. It is just a game with only willing participants.

I don't pretend to think anyone here is in favor of real slavery, only virtual slavery. And of course, everyone is making a choice, here. If this is even serious. But serious or not words are out there and still do things. Look at the Bible. I just wanted to add my thoughts and some of the feelings and associations that come up for me as not only black, but a woman, when Steve makes posts like this. For the most part when he brings up the D/S master slave thing I don't say anything because I know a lot of people will say I am misunderstanding and reading too much into things, but I don't think that's what I am doing, or God forbid I am bringing up the race card when slavery has no color, lol. What people do with their sex lives is their business and he is of course free to share his journey with that. But me, being who I am and being an artist like to ask the possible motivations, unconscious archetypal and conscious behind certain things. My personal ones and what's being presented before me. Nothing happens in a vacuum. I am doing a "reading" of this for sure and know fully that Steve's not advocating real slavery and that it's a "game."

Interesting you brought up cowboys and indians. Children playing cowboys and indians are still children. And the cowboys weren't the oppressed group. The Indians were. But why this particular game so many of us just played as kids? This game came out of somewhere. Hollywood films certainly took alot of the history out of the whole Cowboys and Indians "thing." They made it look like merely some cool battle between white men and strange, howling brown people with paint on their faces. And let's face it. Kids are some of the most oppressed human beings on this planet. No wonder they would want to play that game even though it isn't "real." Clearly like all of us, they are working something out. I bring this up because for me this subject still is very painful. I can laugh at it and put it aside at times and heal from it but talking about the energy of this word or even ideas being presented, satirically or not, is part of my healing process even if many people do not believe it is part of their healing process. But I like to believe that we are all on this journey together. Of course master/slave stuff is as old as time. Because people are laughing and feeling good about something and having fun does not necessarliy make it an inherently good thing. We make these judgements based on our life experiences. It can also be like getting high. Avoiding what you do not want to see. But if you are choosing to go there with virtual play slavery go there with more awareness. The benefits might be further reaching.

[Lamusa]

Originally Posted by Savage

"All men are created equal." - Thomas Jefferson, owner of 200 slaves.

Jefferson hated slavery and actually wanted to abolish it, but the political climate at the time made it unrealistic to enact such sweeping changes. So he continued to depend on it himself. He had his slaves tear down and rebuild his estate house (Monticello) probably a half-dozen times.

In the end it didn't work out for him though. He died broke and in debt, and his estate had to be auctioned off.

History is complex, ain't it?
Great example of Thomas Jefferson's disconnect. Did he even think of slaves as human? If he hated slavery so much he should have torn down his estate house and built it back up himself. And of course we know how much he hated slavery by how much he loved him some Sally Hemmings.

[Rachelle]

On the topic of slavery...

Look at the major Monotheistic religions out there. These religions are, essentially, an implementation of system of enslavement; they preach the existence of only one, true, real Master. They command that you are to obey this Master -- by pledging your allegiance to Him, and your faith in Him, and obeying His commands -- and if you choose not to be a willing slave to this Master, you are to endure punishment and damnation.


Just imagine submitting an application for slavery, and getting accepted... you would be among Master's special Chosen People!

Wouldn't it be pretty cool to quit your day-job and fire your Pharaoh-Master-Boss in exchange for a Merciful, Compassionate, yet Savage Master?

[Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi]

Originally Posted by Lamusa

The question is how does one accept full responsiblity for their lives when either they are too burdened with more pressing responsibilities to realize their responsibility? We might be giving less and less power over to words but most of our power is still being given over to systems.

They do it the same way I do! You don't have to be in an ivory tower to be conscious. You just have to open your eyes. All of your eyes. The ones that see beyond the limiting beliefs and decision that you choose to take on, at levels of development that are even pre-verbal! "Just" is a relative word, as always...lolz.

Check out this documentary! It's utterly fascinating. Also, Edward Bearnays was either a minion of satan, a genius, or both:
The Century of Self (part 1 of 4)

[secrets0stolen]

Originally Posted by Rachelle

On the topic of slavery...

Look at the major Monotheistic religions out there. These religions are, essentially, an implementation of system of enslavement; they preach the existence of only one, true, real Master. They command that you are to obey this Master -- by pledging your allegiance to Him, and your faith in Him, and obeying His commands -- and if you choose not to be a willing slave to this Master, you are to endure punishment and damnation.


Just imagine submitting an application for slavery, and getting accepted... you would be among Master's special Chosen People!

Wouldn't it be pretty cool to quit your day-job and fire your Pharaoh-Master-Boss in exchange for a Merciful, Compassionate, yet Savage Master?

Lmao, you just compared Steve to Yaweh. Not a very flattering comparison if you ask me.

[Asten]

Originally Posted by Chris_1977

I am not sure what to think of this. On the one hand, this is laughing-out-loud-funny. On the other hand it makes me think. On yet another hand I feel some disgust and wonder whether this slavery situation is going to be psychologically healthy. On the fourth hand, it might actually work somewhat. On the fifth hand, I am now wondering if I would actually apply if the aspiring master were a good looking gay guy and the conditions were as good as this. On the sixth hand I am flabbergasted at what I seem to have written for a fifth hand.

Let me summarize. "I am getting slightly uncomfortable with the direction this blog is going".

LOL ^ this. Minus the uncomfortable part.

[Asmoday]

Well....

I, for one....

....welcome, embrace, support, encourage, and root for the ever-expanding House of Pavlina...

...solve coagua...

....bout damn time.

[elucidate]

You would need a castle Steve, like at Kink.com

[Asmoday]

Originally Posted by elucidate

You would need a castle Steve, like at Kink.com

LOL. We gotta get ONE picture of him in a Heffner-like robe.

[roxyruby]

Shouldn't all the "Family Members" move into a big house together since we're family? lollllllllll maybe it would be like big brother, different, clashing personalities stuck 2gether in the same house, emotional drama, competing our websites with eachother

[roxyruby]

I think for me this bdsm "slave play" is something i see as a maybe play time thing with my bf. I think i have too much desire for independence and would want to contribute to people of the world in need in the ways that interest & fulfil me the most as my main occupation. full time "slavery" play is just fantasy cause there is too many real needs in the world. although maybe, u can use your imagination & ability to change meaning in creative ways to make anything a reality in ur everyday life! like "this is not my job or work" "this fun hobby my master lets me do just happens to create money (which supports slave fantasy)"

id like to be pure bedroom/sex slave/concubine 2 my bf but at the same time need to make money so we can buy a house to live in & perhaps also have natural needs of independence & personal interests. basically that has to be a small time thing while making money/work has to be the majority thing to do in this society

my bf wants 2 sex slaves, me plus another girl

[Curtis2011]

Originally Posted by Rachelle

On the topic of slavery...

Look at the major Monotheistic religions out there. These religions are, essentially, an implementation of system of enslavement; they preach the existence of only one, true, real Master. They command that you are to obey this Master -- by pledging your allegiance to Him, and your faith in Him, and obeying His commands -- and if you choose not to be a willing slave to this Master, you are to endure punishment and damnation.

Lol... that is one interpretation of religion.




On all this slavery talk, there is a good quote I've read from someone who lived back in Roman days (or sometime back then): "Most men do not want liberty. They are satisfied with a fair master."

[Rachelle]

Originally Posted by secrets0stolen

Lmao, you just compared Steve to Yaweh. Not a very flattering comparison if you ask me.

Haha!

Wasn't only a Yaweh reference, but also an Allah reference (i.e. the "Compassionate" and "Merciful" references). I should've also squeezed in a Jesus reference.

Not meant to be a flattering comparison per se, but rather to prompt the idea of following a Religion as though it were one's Master.

[machoman]

Originally Posted by Christina1965

Maybe it's time for someone who is not excited about this to write;

First when I read this I thought it was for real, and felt sick. Then I remembered that it was the 1st of April, and thought Steve was, well I would like to find a more polite word than stupid.
Then again I find it congruent with all he's been writing, so probably there's a part of it that is true.
And, except for that i feel nausea at the thought of people giving up their freedom (even for a short while), I think it's against "the tide":
I think the challenge for mankind today is to start acting from whitin (from the inside). Until now we have been controlled much from outer regulations and laws, and now people have to find their inner moral and live from that. I think a lot of todays problems can be tracked back to this.

I understand that I would get better understood if I explain more why I don't like this post. But maybe I can't or maybe I don't want to.

Why am I bothering to write now?
Because I have got a lot of value from Steve's posts and the book. And I liked that when I'm finished studying and get a salary I could donate some money and buy the new things he will produce.

And someway I agree that we all are connected, and I just feel plain sad about this (this post). I will stop reading the blog. Maybe I'll read something more in the forum for a short while.

I know that one person is a very small percentage among all your readers, but I'm really sad because I liked you Steve.

haha, April's fool!

[Rachelle]

I think marriage is yet another form of socially accepted slavery... at least back in the day, and perhaps even still in some cultures and traditions.

A woman is sold or traded to a man to be his wife (i.e. slave), and she is expected to obey him. An engagement ring can even be seen as a down payment for the intended ownership of a wife-slave.

Even the tradition of the father "giving away" the bride at more modern weddings conjures up this idea of passing on the ownership of property from family to husband.

[KaleidoskopicVision]

Originally Posted by Rachelle

On the topic of slavery...

Look at the major Monotheistic religions out there. These religions are, essentially, an implementation of system of enslavement; they preach the existence of only one, true, real Master. They command that you are to obey this Master -- by pledging your allegiance to Him, and your faith in Him, and obeying His commands -- and if you choose not to be a willing slave to this Master, you are to endure punishment and damnation.


Just imagine submitting an application for slavery, and getting accepted... you would be among Master's special Chosen People!

Wouldn't it be pretty cool to quit your day-job and fire your Pharaoh-Master-Boss in exchange for a Merciful, Compassionate, yet Savage Master?

It'd be cooler if I could look in the mirror and decide if I wanted to call myself Master or Slave depending on my mood.

Oh wait, I can already do that.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Asmoday

LOL. We gotta get ONE picture of him in a Heffner-like robe.

Hmmm...and a pipe!

[ChrisGinsburg]

And here I thought I could drive 20 minutes up the road and have the privilege of being your slave. I was hoping you could throw me some table scraps

[cacheborn]

Originally Posted by Chris_1977

On the fifth hand, I am now wondering if I would actually apply if the aspiring master were a good looking gay guy and the conditions were as good as this.

I wouldn't. As far as sexual activities are concerned, the male of the species is completely uninteresting to me. I am a woman's man. I love women.

I am also assuming that in this case, all sexual activities are between male-females. That's why Steve asked for photographs only in some cases.

I am not entirely sure about the nature of Master-Slave relationship when both are males and there is no sexual undercurrent involved. To me, it seems more like Yoda training Skywalker.

[strawzombie]

Originally Posted by cacheborn

I am not entirely sure about the nature of Master-Slave relationship when both are males and there is no sexual undercurrent involved.

LLOYD!!!!!!!!

(For those who don't get the reference, that's a screencap I found from the show Entourage.)

Idunno... I often wondered if it would be better to have an alluring yet professional female assistant who knew how to use her femininity to break through obstacles where men normally couldn't. Or if a flaming gay male assistant who acts VERY aggressively on my behalf would get more accomplished.

Also, Jack (Alec Baldwin) on 30 Rock has a male assistant. Though I don't remember if he was openly gay or if it was just hinted at.

Now that I think about it, although I'd try my best to "be myself" when working with either assistant and not put on any a false front, I'd probably feel more confident delegating tasks to the straight female assistant, but I'd probably feel more comfortable appearing weak and coping with setbacks in front of the gay male assistant.

EDIT: Oh yeah, Smithers too from The Simpsons!

[Rachelle]

Originally Posted by cacheborn

I am also assuming that in this case, all sexual activities are between male-females.

I'm quite certain that Master would be very pleased -- and perhaps even encouraging -- of sexual activities between females.

[Lakshyayidhi Lakshmihi]

Originally Posted by Rachelle

I think marriage is yet another form of socially accepted slavery... at least back in the day, and perhaps even still in some cultures and traditions.

A woman is sold or traded to a man to be his wife (i.e. slave), and she is expected to obey him. An engagement ring can even be seen as a down payment for the intended ownership of a wife-slave.

Even the tradition of the father "giving away" the bride at more modern weddings conjures up this idea of passing on the ownership of property from family to husband.

Dude, seriously! I was married briefly in my early 20s, but I always had the niggling doubt that grew into a more complete awareness later on that marriage is an antiquated institution, originally designed to facilitate the transfer of property between the original owner of the bride (the father) to the new title holder (husband). It's one of the most ancient types of financial transactions.

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Savage

@Christina: It's just an April Fool's joke. Keep working on your sense of humor.

Bummer!

I thought about it and really liked the idea of it. I can see the appeal of this for slaves. I'm currently unemployed, but I have my needs met. I have a roof in a very nice comfortable house, all the food I want, and I have so far being able to attract money or opportunities to get things I want.

I could see if I was younger, (and perhaps a girl ) that I would actually love to take up Steve's slavery idea. The idea of spending 6months+ working for someone like him to help further his ideas would be a golden opportunity to learn from the master so-to-speak. Plus getting to live with other conscious growth people without worrying about food, money or the likes would be totally fun.

As it is, I've got some very exciting projects that I'm working on (in addition to looking for a job), so it's not my path to go slaving for him. Not to mention I am more into being a master now than a slave. However, I totally can see how it would be considered an opportunities of a lifetime for those who would want to do it.

Just like we have Erin's Padawan's going out and helping people, we would have had Steve's former slaves going out.

Steve, I have a feeling though that perhaps when you receive some applications, you may be tempted to go through with it . Here's to hoping you do.

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Rachelle

Look at the major Monotheistic religions out there. These religions are, essentially, an implementation of system of enslavement; they preach the existence of only one, true, real Master. They command that you are to obey this Master -- by pledging your allegiance to Him, and your faith in Him, and obeying His commands -- and if you choose not to be a willing slave to this Master, you are to endure punishment and damnation.

Absolutely! That reminds me of the Pledge of Allegiance that all Americans are supposed to do at so many events (including at the beginning of each Toastmasters meeting). We are to supposed to pledge our allegiance to the flag and the the republic...that is we are supposed to be faithful to our country...no matter what the country decides to do. That sounds like a form of slavery.