Yesterday it was two hundred years since the Slave Trade Act received Royal Assent, in practice outlawing the trade with slaves within the British Empire. At last the abolitionist movement had gained an important victory in the struggle against slavery. The most well known of the British abolitionists, perhaps, is William Wilberforce who had campaigned for the cessation of slave trade since 1789.
In this context it feels silly and almost wrong to talk about fantasies about slavery. The grim facts about the trade in humans make a terrible backdrop to the exciting and even arousing fantasies about being captured and enslaved.
Slavery is wrong and it feels almost trivial to state that. Only very ruthless and cruel people can think otherwise. The reason why I talk about this here is that I have to struggle a little to distinguish between fantasies and reality at times. The themes of my fantasies scare me. That which alleviate that feeling and allows me to continue having my fantasies is the knowledge that fantasies do not necessarily represent real life event or wishes. I would not want slavery for any human being, not even myself, but still the fantasy of being someone's captive can be something pleasurable and good. It is a romantic and basically silly fantasy but it is a nice one, however scary at times. But who said that humans were simple beings?
1 comment:
This goes along with your comment on Clockwork Orange. I try to be, believe myself to be egalitarian, and strive to act fairly (or more than fairly) toward those who may be held back (socially, professionally) by gender and race. But in another life (inside) I am, well, oblivious to such considerations as, hmm, consideration. So we continue the abolitionists' fight for equality, we deplore (and weep with) those who are enslaved (even now). But the inner devil must have his day & due from time to time, hence fantasy.
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