Broken Pleasures

I teach my slaves that exact obedience is their number one priority.  It is more important than any other thing in their lives.  It is not only an expression of their slavery, it is the essence of their slavery.  They are to obey not only me, but all free.  They are slave, not just to me, but all free.  The reasoning for this universal obedience requires more explanation that I want to go into right now, but it has a lot to do with the integrity of the slave and her belly, and how that integrity allows her slavery to be deeper than would otherwise be possible.

This priority put me in an interesting position the other day as I was connecting with a slave.  This slave had rules that forbade her from doing certain things without permission, as most slaves do.  Because she is a hot bitch, I wanted her in a way that was contrary to the rules placed on her.  I told her as much.  Because I am a master, and she is a slave (and she is an excellent slave) I could have commanded her to break the rules, and she would have done it. She understands her position as a slave, and she is to be obedient to the free.  Doing so would have brought me quite a bit of pleasure.  And this slave REALLY wanted to bring me pleasure.

"That would be a broken pleasure," I said.

Then I thought, "What the hell does that mean?"  We both understood it, and I had other priorities than pontificating philosophy at the time, so we continued on with our connecting, keeping her within the rules she had been given.

I've wondered about that since then.  I think I understand the concept a little better, now.  A broken pleasure is one that makes me less of a man.  For me, a slave's obedience is a critical thing.  Making a slave disobey a rule to please me would have been an act against my nature.  For other men, with other expectations, it would probably be different.  If a men expected women to be shallow and catty and to willfully seek chances to disobey, keeping his own slaves in check only by coersion, then he would likely not give it a second thought to cause a slave to disobey (other than dealing with the man that owned her).  It wouldn't be a broken pleasure.  If he was  a Warrior, a broken pleasure for him might be taking a rest back at camp while his brothers are out fighting.  I personally don't have any problem resting at home while the Warriors are battling, unless my own home is under threat.

I'm not saying I don't take part in broken pleasures.  Though I haven't ever knowingly caused a slave to break her rules, I do take part in broken pleasures.  I do it with bright eyes and a bushy tail.  I'm sure I would be a better Gorean if I didn't.  As I look back however, now that I understand the concept, I find that I have always counted the cost carefully, because in doing so I'm selling my own soul.  And I don't sell my soul cheaply.