h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A236495

Well, it was suggested I put this in the Peer Review. So, that's what I'm doing.

Yep - it's still a great entry

I still think you'd be better off reworking the definitions into the flow: defining them as and when you need them, but it works this way too, and I'm sure others would disagree with me...

Excellent writing - hope to see it in the guide soon.

It probably would be better, but I don't have the editing skill to do that right now.

Guess we'll see what 'they' say

This is a good article, if a little unclear.

There's some dodgy grammar in this section I think (perhaps due to hasty editing. []'s indicate suggested additions, {}'s indicate suggested omissions.

"D/s is a relationship that is based around [a] power exchange between {the} two people. One {of the people} [person] is the controlling one, known as the Dominant, the other is the controlled one, and is known as the submissive."

Im a bit confused about whether D/s is a way of describing certain relationships (from a psycho-analytical viewpoint), or some kind of concious (I can never spell that word) arrangement between two people. Is it something that can be widely applied, or is it unusual and only done by people 'in the know'?

Since we're nit-picking {and hence, can't find anything else to say - a good thing}...

I think the sentence "D/s is a relationship that is based around power exchange between two people" is fine as is - it's not *a* single act of power exchange, it's power exchange in general. Just as some relationships are based around hot sex, but few are based around a hot sex.

The second sentence "One of the people is the controlling one, known as the Dominant, the other is the controlled one, and is known as the submissive", however, I can see Frankie's point: it's probably clearer as "One person is the controlling one, known as the Dominant; the other person is the controlled one, and is known as the submissive." Plus, that way you get to use a semi-colon, and that's always cool...

The sub-eds will catch any grammar which is a little unclear - or at least they should do, anyway. So if you don't want to worry about minutiae, don't...

Frankie - D/s is a conscious choice people make: as the entry emphasises quite clearly saying that it's all about *consensual* transfer of power. It's hard to consent to something if you're not aware of it...

Power exchange in general is fairly wide: think of 'trophy wives', or the SOs of politicians (often expected to sacrifice their own career come election campaign time), or indeed battered wives and husbands. D/s, on the other hand, is probably slightly less widespread.

I more or less understood that it is a consensual relationship, but would the people embarking on it know about the term and the codes etc.. or is it something used to describe a method of relationship in couples? It sounds like the former, I was just a bit suprised that I had not heard of it.

So that would make it a minority fetish-like protocol, done within certain small circles right? I think I mistook it for a more psychological topic (I do a certain amount of that in my studies), used to analyse relationships.

As to the grammar, I agree the 'around a power exchange' would be fine as simple 'around power exchange', but the 'between the two people' would need to be changed...

As you say, the editors will pick up on grammar, and it's not something worth getting bogged down in.

Can I ask where your (the author's) interest in D/s comes from? Is it academic interest or personal lifestyle?

Hmm, your points on the grammar are well taken. When I've a few moments to spare I'll try to tidy it up (cool semicolon and all ).

And if one person is having trouble finding out what the article is about, then I obviously need to be clearer.

As to my interest, it's partly academic (I pull /everything/ apart), and partly lifestyle.

First of all let me say that I think this is an excellent article that is ready to be edited right now.

The only thing I would suggest would to be to add just a bit of background to explain that D/s is or can be a lifestyle choice and that certain D/s couples enjoy taking their relationship out of their homes and into the 'real' world.

Since there has always been a certain number of people who do not understand or are not willing to understand alternative (to them) lifestyles, people who enjoy D/s relationships, like people who enjoy other alternative lifestyles, may tend to socialize among others of like interests creating a sub-culture which is where this terminology comes from. It is a jargon (and to some extent a slang or even a cant for some members) which has been developed in order to facilitate comminication among members of the sub-culture.

All that is just fancy wording to say that these people hang out together on occasion and talk about the things they like to do and how they like to do them, just as others do with their personal and shared lifestyles.

If I haven't worded it properly, I hope that you can understand what I am trying to say. Making that change might eliminate the kinds of questions you were getting from Frankie Roberto.

Unlike My Red Lucinda,, I have no problem with your initial list of definitions since I like to get that sort of thing out of the way quickly and get on to using them. The trouble may be that some people have trouble understanding the need for such definitions before they have a real idea of what is going on. I knew where you were going almost as soon as you began.

Fascinating article and an interesting and lucid insight into D/s.

I thank you it.

Barton

I liked this article from the first time I read it a while ago.
I think the definitions for Top and bottom aren't quite right though.

Well I'm happy to change those definitions. I'm not sure where you think they're wrong though. What would /you/ put?

Hmm, I think I need to work out how to give others credit in this, time to do more reading...

bottoms are not necessarily submissive, nor tops particularly dominant. If they are playing with bondage, it's the top that ties up the bottom. In SM, it's the top that is handing out the stimulation, pain or otherwise.
It is possible for a bottom to be more dominant than submissive. It sounds bizarre, but believe me, I know.
And although it usually is for just a scene, sometimes it can be spontaneous when wandering round the supermarket...

I can't remember, but did you define Switch?
Also make the difference between hurt, and harm clear.

if you think that talking about multi-person relationships is tricky, try thinking about complex marriages. when you aretalking about the ability for groups of any size to get together to care for the children, it can get really strange.

What?

Complex marriages, Mina. You heard correctly.

Anyway, OldWolf, you seem to have personal experience with the sub side, and I have to say that this article is dying for some anecdotal addings. It makes me curious about the everyday details of the relationship, and then i'm not talking about sex life, just everyday life.

The picture I have to fend off in my mind is easily an extreme one, while your article gives plenty of nuance. That's good... but then my mind asks Then What? If it isn't always as kinky as I would think, how then? Tell us, tell us! You don't have to make it very personal, just make it so that we can imagine what it's like to be a Dom or sub.

Maybe the article could do with some personal quotes.

I have never heard of a complex marriage.

what xyroth is talking about is polygamy, and extensions of that, I think. many men married intertwined with many women. in any thinkable configuration. yes, xyroth?

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