Question about Psychology of BDSM (with apologies)

[sub17]

I just can't see how a person that dedicates his or her life to beeing a slave to another person (and merely due to his or her sexual urges) could have a fulfilled and loving life. How could this person ever develop respect for his/herself if his/her very partner delights in not showing any. For this and other reaosns I would call a intensive sadomasochistic lifestyle unhealthy.

~ Hi MM.
I've always been submissive, but never realized it until I found a dominant man who took the time to educate me. I don't choose to be a slave (*I'm a sub for now, who knows I might be a slave later*) merely due to my sexual urges. I choose to be submissive because I feel that it's my nature. I enjoy pleasing my man, making him the heartbeat of my life, giving him control. I do have respect for myself because I understand that this is a lifestyle choice for me, and I don't have a need to follow society's norms if I choose not to. That is having a lot of respect for one's personal beliefs and choices isn't it? Also, my man/dom is very, very respectful of me. He still has to make the hard choices, but because he respects me, I respect him. It always is a two way street, just with an understanding of the power-relationship. I've been with regular men who don't understand submissive women and because I didn't understand my own nature and needs, I found myself in bad r/ships, VERY unhealthy. So, to me, the bdsm lifestyle works for my personality, needs, and desires - not just sexually, but overall. It's healthy for me and to me, that's all that really matters.

[booklet3]

I choose to be submissive because I feel that it's my nature. I enjoy pleasing my man, making him the heartbeat of my life, giving him control. I do have respect for myself because I understand that this is a lifestyle choice for me, and I don't have a need to follow society's norms if I choose not to. That is having a lot of respect for one's personal beliefs and choices isn't it?

I can so very much identify with this. To me this might be the core of all human relations or even beyond that, relations with the entire world and all that is in it. The magic word to me is and always will be respect. Any set of rules, moral codes, laws, can never be anything but artificial, man-made and so, will always be compromises, made to fit entire societies, often with hidden agenda's built in. But societies are made up of individuals, of which not even two are alike. To me personally, even trying to universally impose sets of rules upon living creatures is fundamentally unnatural. To me, we as humans are basically the same as other animals. Nobody needs to tell an animal which is the Alfa-male or female, they just are, or establish themselves as such. So I think trying to figure out why you are a sub or a master/mistress, is no use at all, you just are.
Please be aware, that this is nothing but my own personal opinion, which I feel very strongly about, no doubt, but not meant to offence anyone. Just my humble contribution to a very interesting discussion.

[booklet3]

Oops,

The first part of my post was meant to be a Quote from Sub17's post. Must have done something wrong, sorry about that.