People can do whatever they want as long as it's entirely consentual (no coercion or anything, either), but I'll admit that for the life of me, I can't understand wanting to be a slave or what have you. I don't need someone to try to explain it to me (I know it basically comes down to 'I like it'), but the idea of doing some of the stuff they do makes me angry, lol. But I think I'm biased as a dom, the idea of giving someone else that kind of control doesn't excite me, it just totally pisses me off.

I've had a lot of friends suddenly pop up and start talking about their 'master' and I'll admit it can be kind of weird to watch them capitalize their pronouns for them and stuff. I'm not into the lingo, I guess. I've got a dominant personality, but I guess I'm not into the 'culture' of BDSM and it's hard for me to take it seriously as a lifestyle.

At the end of the day though, what John and Jane Doe do in the bedroom isn't something I could fathom really caring about. Again, as long as it's all consentual. While I personally couldn't do it, I know there are people that enjoy being downright beaten and injured and such and all I have to say is that I hope they're safe about it.

I guess 'different strokes for different folks' is a fairly bland, cliche answer to a question like this, and not terribly interesting, but I just can't imagine being invested in someone else's sexual life.

If that's the couples' dynamic, using caps and stuff, then whatever, but you're right. I despise people using that kind of lingo in daily talk or in conversations with friends. It seems like they're trying WAY too hard every time I see it.

Yeah. Not gonna lie, I'll put up my hands and respect it and keep my mouth shut, but when I see it I start rolling my eyes. FA is especially bad about that kind of thing, with people casually throwing around the word 'master' and 'pet' everywhere.

Yes omfg. >:C I constantly see people putting up lists of masters and pets (often both at once...) on their profiles. OMFG STOP IT. 8C

I think BDSM is very, very nice in art and the bedroom, but I hate it as a lifestyle. I can't stand to hear about people collaring their pets, or seeing people doing their weird things in public, wearing their bondage gear as casual outfits. A collar and cuffs is fine, but pulling someone around on a leash, wearing a ballgag, etc is just a bit much outside of the bedroom. I mostly keep that to myself as I don't want to be a bitch but I sure would wish people could keep their lifestyle SFW. Just as I don't like to see people in their diapers, people pissing their pants, or licking feet, rubbing their faces in peoples boobs, or doing whatever fetish it is they have in public, the same thing applies to BDSM. Bedroom, please. ;; When I interact with someone, I don't want to think about what gets them off. I don't want to have that sexual realization of them. If I'm discussing adult topics with a close friend is a different story. Maybe it's that I'm a bit of a prude, but I just don't understand why anyone would want to make their sexual fantasies so public with strangers. :s

Never in my life have I seen anyone wear a ballgag outside of the bedroom. O_o I mean obviously I have Jake wearing a collar, but I think that's pretty discreet.

^ This, this, this! Ajna hit the nail on the head for me.

Well, for 99% of the time. See, if I go to Folsom and take Tim (my fiancé) along. We'll probably wear our leather gear. But the only time I ever believe taking BDSM out of the bedroom is to events and whatnot. I can't see it as a lifestyle, it's totally a fetish/kink to me, but it's honestly been something I've started to fall out of. (If you're like me and seen the horror that is of gay fetish/kink sites, you'd understand.)

As I identify myself as dominant (and others telling me such), I'm one of those weird doms that wouldn't have the patience to put up with a slave 24/7. I like doing things myself and the thought of someone going "yes sir" to me constantly would irritate me. Sure, if the slave was like a butler or something, that'd be nice, but that's as far as the lifestyle I'd be willing to go. I guess in a way you could say I "collared" Tim, but it was more of a proposal for him and I to get married... Nor is it much of a collar.

All in all, whatever's in the bedroom is between the couple/partners/whatever you wanna call them and it really shouldn't matter what others think... Unless you plan on inviting others, that is.

But really, I'm more of a leather guy top type of deal than some BDSM dom. So, I'm probably not of too much assistance. XD;

Working at a BDSM club I see all kinds of examples both purely sexual and the couples that truly love sharing something they both enjoy. I do enjoy sharing some quality bondage time with my mate as does he. Its a loving thing for us that goes much deeper than sexual appeal. Switching up the rolls is a lot of fun as well.

While having never been deeply involved in the BDSM community, my mate and I do enjoy it. Like you, we keep it mostly in the bedroom. I would say that it has made our relationship stronger, as it instills trust. My mate has me wearing a collar, but we have also have had to compromise on certain things. Such as; I most definitely cannot wear a collar when I'm at work. As a pilot, it's pretty difficult to be constantly going through TSA security with a collar o.O I don't know what your thoughts on that would be.
As for other aspects of BDSM, outside the bedroom, never in my right mind would I be wearing leather or anything else... That just is way way way to 'out there' for me or my mate. Nor would we ever use words like 'Master', 'Slave', or anything else. To each their own I guess.

Sorry for the sorta outdated reply. I just found this journal entry rather interesting