This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 5 months ago by 
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I had this post kicking around in my head, but since the phone calls went out this afternoon, I’m not entirely sure it still applies. I’m throwing it out there anyway to see what sticks.
Back when we heard about Ascension the event was described a certain way. I can’t find the words now, because the website has changed, but it was something about a journey of submission, betrayal, and trust. Now, we have Noah Sinclair who is most definitely entering into a power dynamic with each individual he calls with a task. People see things through their own biased lenses and I’m just as guilty of that as anyone, but I’m definitely not the person who brought up the phrase “power dynamic” today. Noah’s website had this weird PUA language on it from the start and his videos were all about humiliation and domination. But then suddenly we started seeing a different side of him and started questioning whether our assumptions were correct.
I still don’t know how to square the PUA/really bad dom shit with the altruist that he might be, and today’s phone calls might be providing some insight into that. But I do know something about power dynamics and that is that the central thing they are based around is trust. Which was one of the words mentioned in the description of Ascension. And which has been mentioned, repeatedly, throughout Tension and Lust, in various contexts, by characters, in game, out of game, by creators/TPTB, off hand, etc. “Trust me,” Ellis Gordon (?) said to me in the changing room when I had no idea what was about to happen. That’s been said to me before in a similar situation.
So, @nothenrygale is adamant that his task from Noah probably didn’t include the water/sandwich purchase that was part of @thebuz’s task. He’s gonna die on that hill, he’s decided. Here’s the thing Brad – you’re never going to know. Last year I didn’t do a thing I was told to do and was told what I missed out on. I can be as sure as I want to be that I was being lied to – I’m never going to know for certain. I was supposed to trust, and I didn’t – just as you were supposed to trust at that moment, and didn’t. It doesn’t matter if you can or can’t see the point of the exercise. It’s over and done with. The point right now is that we are essentially being told to put our trust in someone/someones, depending on how meta you want to be right now. We aren’t ever going to get answers but we are going to get consequences if we fail to trust. You holding onto that is going to get in your way of trusting again in the future.
This whole entire THING is one giant power dynamic. It’s layers upon layers of power dynamics, whether you’re part of a faction or trusting Noah or trusting the mods or trusting TPTB. It has been from the very very start when we handed over all that personal data. Submission and trust do NOT equal weakness. Bending to someone’s will is better than breaking. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to trust that someone is wanting to give you a positive experience and asking you to submit to it, to put aside what survival instinct you have and push forward.
I don’t yet know how this holds up under what was said in those phone calls today, but I wanted to get it out anyway.
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I totally get what you’re laying down here. I do trust and I do submit in this experience, that is absolutely a part of this. We are at the mercy of TPTB and I have indeed submitted to them. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have gone to the convenience store and started Periscoping. I played ball, I performed the task initially given to me. I trust TPTB and as such, I submitted to their request to go and Periscope.
Noah on the other hand has not earned my trust. I think you and I agree that PUA stuff is a lot of BS that just looks to piggyback off of the emotional problems some people have. Submission shouldn’t come to just anyone. It is earned with trust. As Noah has not earned my trust, and instead has constantly rubbed me the wrong way, I did not submit to him. Are there people in this experience I would submit to and follow through with their orders, even if they’re uncomfortable or difficult? Absolutely. Noah is not one of them. I’m willing to hear him out, but with last week being my 3rd direct interaction with him, that level of trust actually went in the OPPOSITE direction.
If I did miss out on an opportunity by standing up to Noah, as you said, it’s in the past. I made a decision that absolutely may bite me in the ass. I already saw that by getting my System ticket refunded and getting the boot from it. I accept that as a result of my action. But submission should be earned. We already know the OSDM is working to manipulate people. It’s a theme that’s come up time and time again. If Devastation is the central figure this season, I’d wager Manipulation is a supporting role. Submission through manipulation is not something I plan on doing any time soon.
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@nothenrygale: Oh wow, I’m really sorry to hear about them kicking you of the upcoming Lust Event. That is not an outcome I would have expected and I’m sorry to hear you are being punished for your actions. That seems a bit drastic for someone who is so involved in this community.
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This seems the right topic to file this under.
A very special musical dedication to some very special people. Keep it lusty!
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