BDSM in ASFR

[D.Olivaw]

As part of my continuing effort to take the temperature of this community with regards to various things, I'd like to ask what sort of BDSM content you'd like to see in your fembot fiction. To some extent, most ASFR writing includes at least the basic elements of submission/dominance, ownership, and the like. While there are many widely differing approaches, the way at least some participants view ASFR could be construed as a psychological subversion of the male dominance/ownership drive. In this interpretation it arises from the conflict between the psychological forces that lead to the objectification of feminine sexuality and the belief that real, human women shouldn't be considered in those terms. The fembot is an expression of pure, objectified sexuality. Lately I've been mulling over these concepts due to several discussions with Mrs. Olivaw over her expressed interest in submission role-play, including fembot scenarios. I had considered the connection between these ideas before, but never quite as explicitly as I have after that.

But enough with the cracker-jack box psychoanalysis.

My real question is: what sort of wider BDSM or Submission/Dominance themes/ideas are people comfortable with or excited by in the kind of stories we write/read around these parts?

PS: I apologize for the egregious reference in one of the poll choices, but you couldn't very well expect me to pass up an opportunity to make that many eyes roll

[Lithorien]

To answer my "Other" comment: I'd like to see BDSM scenes that taxed the 'bot until she malfunctioned or overloaded - either as the sub, or as my preference would be, as the dominant. I'm a natural submissive, and would LOVE to see those themes in play.

[Svengli]

The idea of inflicting "pain" on an artificial creation doesn't make sense to me. Damage makes even less sense. Why damage your own property?

On the other hand, turning someone into an artificial creation or treating someone like an artificial creation seems like perhaps heavy rather than light dominance.

I mean, pain as a way to signal dominance to a living creature makes sense. But also signals, to me at least, that the living creature has a will and ability to resist, which doesn't make sense to me again.

[Stephaniebot]

No, I've never got this whole damage your fembot kick that a few around here seem to have either. You spend a fortune on getting one, then damage it, hmm?

Yes, transforming a human into a fembot, or a scene where that's the rp, yes, I get it. That would be hot, I personally would of course love the former, but a really good scene would be quite something too. And would at least let me decide if I really enjoy being a fembot as much as I think I would lol, before the big step!

[Loverbot]

First I'd like to toss something out here. Some people when they hear the word pain associated with BDSM suddenly conjure the images of basements and battery cables. While I suppose it could Include that always remember that it is between to consenting people ( or it should be!) BDSM at its core is about power exchange and trust between Dom and sub. One can not exist with out the other. Just wanted to add that in for those that may not be familiar with it.

Now on to Olivaw's post

To some extent, most ASFR writing includes at least the basic elements of submission/dominance, ownership, and the like.

At the risk of sounding vanilla I like those basic elements!

My real question is: what sort of wider BDSM or Submission/Dominance themes/ideas are people comfortable with or excited by in the kind of stories we write/read around these parts?

While pain is not my thing I feel that if you were to add it into a story I would feel the character inflicting pain would need to believe what he/she is doing is to something real maybe the fem-bot is programmed really well or perhaps it became sentient at some point and we the readers are not aware of it until the end ( sad and tragic ) or perhaps the women or men are clones created to do nothing but endure these things. Because in the end I feel with out those types of elements it is nothing more than flogging a toaster.

[Svengli]

Also, this isn't saying something against BDSM. As far as I can tell, robot fetish is a sub-genre of BDSM.

If I tie someone up and put them into such an altered state they loose their sense of self and submit utterly and completely, it might be like they feel they've become a ... robot. Or they could very vividly imagine being a robot. So the two approaches seem closely ... tied. It is only that it doesn't make sense in my logic-brain to first imagine a robot and then inflict pain on it. I mean, I guess I could see simulating someone you force to submit but it seems silly to me still.

I think some folks are attached to the concept of a fembot as a feeling, thinking person but with mechanical aspects. That's fine if you enjoy it. You asked me so I'll say that I'm more attracted to a fembot as fundamentally a thing, not a person but a thing that can almost perfectly mimic a person without having the free-will, personhood, etc that we experience with people.

And for D. Olivaw, I just suggest you write the stories you like rather than testing the waters concerning what other people like. There will be someone who likes your stuff and someone who hates no matter what. I mean, I actually really like the stories you first posted here but I don't particular care for "malfunction scenes" and so I'm less fond of your recent stuff. You can't please everyone, sorry.

[dale coba]

Svengli,
I think there are significant differences between the role-playing paradigms of BDSM and robot fetishes.

Bondage:
The robot body has her own stiffness, asserted from within - not arising from external restraint. She could have a collar or other binding gear, especially if it signified her robotness. Binding has a more meaningful, sensual meaning when applied to a human body - maybe if you like the A.I.-bots, her neural net experience of restraints would be similar.

The robot lack-of-mind seems to be a trance-like, command-able state. Can this be compatible with the mental state as experienced by a subject feeling sudden, pain-like sensations? I'm genuinely asking, because the tone of the experience seems very different.

Discipline:
- doesn't make nearly as much sense with a robot.

Dom/Sub:
The non-person robot is perfect, or almost; so there is no great risk of disappointment. If her performance "disappoints", I suggest she wasn't well enough programmed for the task. Failings are fun, as they move a story along, building towards a malfunction crisis/ecstatic burst.

The sub is constantly demonstrating the ability to perform up to the dom's standards. Like figure vs. ground in a drawing, the potential to fail is inherently part of the currency between dom and sub. If the sub disappoints, is the failure a reflection of her human-ness ? Disobedience, incompetence, clumsiness, hesitation?

I think the sub is imperfect, and while the robot might show imperfection, I think her more fundamental characteristic is being incomplete without an owner/user.

[I'm quite comfortable stating that I have a lot to learn (and probably, some ideas to un-learn) if I ever want to understand BDSM to any serious degree.]

- Dale Coba

[Stephaniebot]

That's sort of what I'm getting at. Writing a BDSM scene, with a human acting it out as a robot, or being 'transformed' into one could well work. Tying up, and or punishing an actual fembot, cant see the point.

[mcfan999]

My preference, like a few who've posted, is to role play the transformation of a human woman into a robot, as well as what comes after when I finally get to use her . I think of bondage in that context as part of the mechanism used to effect the transformation. For example: the subject strapped down to the lab chair or table, blindfolded, gagged, etc. because sensory deprivation makes the reprogramming process more effective; or perhaps full-body encasement while the nanites do their job. And then after the transformation is complete! Is there a more perfect type of submission than surrendering all free will and the capability for independent thought?

I can totally see using an object to satisfy more punishment-oriented forms of BDSM, but it isn't my thing.

[dale coba]

So mcfan999's female participant transitions from her opposition to the master, to a perfection free of resistance and largely free from potential negative judgement (if she fails, you should've programmed her better).

Does a sub ever transition like that during more typical BDSM play?
or would such a role reversal turn it into MSDB?

- Dale Coba

[xodar]

I'd guess that people who really get off on abusing someone else could get a bot especially designed for that instead of actually harming people or animals. That might be a useful function of bots in that they will channel aggressive desires harmlessly onto machines programmed to act as the person needs. Unless the attacker wants to use imagination on a dummy, though, it would involve damaging an amazingly expensive gadget.

[Lithorien]

So mcfan999's female participant transitions from her opposition to the master, to a perfection free of resistance and largely free from potential negative judgement (if she fails, you should've programmed her better).

Does a sub ever transition like that during more typical BDSM play?
or would such a role reversal turn it into MSDB? :nerd: :wtf: :lol:

- Dale Coba

Yes. Yes, all the time. It happens to me when I drop, and many many other submissives.

[dale coba]

So mcfan999's female participant transitions from her opposition to the master, to a perfection free of resistance and largely free from potential negative judgement (if she fails, you should've programmed her better).

Does a sub ever transition like that during more typical BDSM play?
or would such a role reversal turn it into MSDB?

- Dale Coba

Yes. Yes, all the time. It happens to me when I drop, and many many other submissives.

'Drop' is an unfamiliar term to me - but the destination arrived at seems different from one where the subject becomes defined as a transcendent robot. A robot isn't an accidental creation. Her body was designed and shaped to her purpose, beta-tested, validated by inspectors and judged good enough to be sold.

The fembot is 'perfect'. Any flaws reflect the designer. So, what's at stake? Watching her fail, it must have been rigged to turn out that way - I think she'd be cute, like a kitten with her paw caught in a ball of yarn. Now it's like the yarn is batting her paw. Awwww.

Your sub, though ascended, is still human. Executing her commands successfully becomes a test of character, of precision and diligence. She could mess up and lose status. She is being judged, unlike the fembot.

- Dale Coba

[Stephaniebot]

In a perfect world, you'd find a way to temporarily switch off human brain function, then she could quite literally be programmed to act as a fembot. Sadly, easier said than done.
Mind, if anyone knows of one, please let me know!

[mcfan999]

I have to say that juding the quality of the performance never enters into my mind. It's more about taking a step into that space where the borders between fantasy and reality get fuzzy. The BDSM aspect helps make the transformation more real, at least for me (and some of the gracious ladies I've played with).

[dale coba]

Maybe I'm thinking too much about Secretary with James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
I was speaking more about the abstract concepts in BDSM - your mileage does vary.

I guess it doesn't have to be that the sub tries to measure up to the dom's requirements, and that the other side of the transaction is the dom's approval or disapproval of those efforts. That might be more about control and/or bondage, less discipline and S/M.

Fembot, vampire thrall, or dom/sub - these are character tropes worthy of understanding all their unique and fundamental distinctions.

- Dale Coba

[Lithorien]

'Drop' is an unfamiliar term to me - but the destination arrived at seems different from one where the subject becomes defined as a transcendent robot. A robot isn't an accidental creation. Her body was designed and shaped to her purpose, beta-tested, validated by inspectors and judged good enough to be sold.

Just a quick reply here: Sorry. I forget people aren't familiar with terms we use. To "drop" is to enter what's called "subspace", or a head-space where you are able to relax, feel safe, feel loved, and it's a space where subs feel powerful in their submission. Granted, everyone is an individual, but the general concepts of safety, love, warmth - those seem to be universals. It's a lot like being drunk when you think about things like motor coordination or the ability to put thoughts together (in fact, going deep enough, you just lose the ability to THINK on a conscious level).