And there was a time parochial minds said the same thing about homosexuality. I would say millions is one or two orders of magnitude low much less the absurdity of "thousands.". Power exchange is not about pain. And pain is not about abuse. It is possible the phrase "safe, sane and consensual" is lost on you but that is OK. Many have never shaken off their Judeo Christian brainwashing and never sallied past the missionary sex for procreation mindset. And, as you speak of "pain" in such derisive tone you may not have ever pondered the notion that pleasure and pain are but separated by perception. The fact is both generate endorphins - naturally occurring opiates - in the brain. BDSM in many forms is canonized in many religions. Monks self flagellating, hair shirts and the like. Bondage - the restriction of movement; Discipline - the giving and accepting of commands; Sadism - the infliction of pain; and masochism - the accepting of pain are deep seated primordial, primitive, instinctive, raw and elementary compulsions. The repression of such being one main cause of neurosis (that's right we eliminated neurosis by dropping it from the DSM). And the internet did not "do it to us." The Internet just facilitates access to unconventional "gnosis." You may not need your nipples tweaked or your ass spanked but it does not "hurt" to try it sometime. After all 463,000,000 google hits should tell you something. The expanding mind of humanity has had to overcome the papacy and the concept of priests and clergy being the only source of "truth". The Vulgate broke that monopoly. The SUCCESSFUL LGBT movement has advanced humanity in the search for self fulfillment. BDSM is just another advance outward -and inward- in the Individual's search for meaning and happiness. Just a few thoughts. I must go untie my collared slave now.

Just a footnote. During the recent government shutdown the hits on pornhub.com spiked. And yes our government is "sick." Your tax dollars at work my friend.

As a member of the BDSM community I would like to respond to this. "Your kink may not be my kink, and that is OK" assuming all are in consent of the activity. Live and let live, rather like most agnostics/atheists don't care what religion their neighbors practice, as long as it doesn't infringe upon them.

Thanks for the kudos!

No. I cannot say I am lonely.

@Jolanta Please explain this? I am deeply interested in your insights.

@GnosticLove The answe lies in “I am deeply attuned to bla, blah blah”. If that’s all you are interested in then yes you will be lonely in the long run.

@Jolanta I see. I thought being a two time loser at marriage maybe you would have some profound insights about loneliness instead of hollow portent and banal comments. Banal it is a polite way of saying blah blah blah.

@GnosticLove A two time looser at marriage. That is a laugh. I am a two time survivor at marriage. Did you not read that I am happily divorced. You don’t seem to understand the blah, blah, I shall explain, it is like etc, etc.

@Jolanta So, aside from an innovative spelling of loser, do you have any profound insights about my lonely fate? Or is this drive by blather your forte? Truly look into your crystal ball and share your premonition concerning my loneliness?