From: sykopath@leland.Stanford.EDU (Mickey)
Subject: Serious response to stupid post. (was Re: SPERM backrub)
Keywords: sperm, backrub, empathy
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 92 10:12:20 GMT

Whew.  That was fun.  Now, some serious stuff...


1) Semen as a massage lubricant.

(NOTE:  Using sperm as a massage lubricant would be difficult indeed,
given they make up only a small percentage of the male ejaculatory
fluid...and probably not the most lubricating portion of it, either.
I'd suggest using semen instead, as indicated above...)

While this could indeed be fun in certain sexual contexts, I don't think
that semen will ever replace the more traditional lubricants, for a
variety of reasons:

a) the smell.  Except in said sexual contexts, it's more likely to
be a distraction or even an active turn-off, than to aid relaxation.
b) the texture.  While I'm only able to judge from my own (being
pretty heterosexual, not that it's any of your business...:), I find
that it's most lubricating when newly produced, and rapidly becomes
somewhat sticky and thick as it dries (NOTE: the addition of some 
oil, as suggested by our dear friend SEAN, might partially solve
this problem...but only by rendering the semen superfluous).
c) the residue.  Semen tends to leave a small amount of a somewhat thick 
and tacky whitish residue behind when it dries, said residue probably
not being the most pleasant thing to have encrusting one's back.
d) the stains.  Unlike more common massage oils, semen tends to
leave stains on fabrics unless washed out carefully (in cold water,
I'd expect...since the stains probably come from the protein content).

All in all, I'd not recommend using semen as a massage lubricant
except by mutual agreement in an already sexual situation.

Speaking of which...


2) Lies and massage: good clean fun, or betrayal of trust?

Today on Donahue...:)

Personal opinion here, but the thing that bothered me the most about
SEAN's post was the possibility that he was being honest about it
all, and thus that there was, somewhere out there, a person who
was giving backrubs to people...and simultaneously lying to them.

I've always viewed massage as a very trust-oriented and empathic
experience (bordering on the mystical at times, especially when
it's done right), and the very thought of lying to someone I was
giving a massage to is...repulsive to me.

Quite frankly, I'm not at all clear on how one *could* both
be empathic enough to give a good massage, and be distant
enough from the person to be taking pleasure in "defiling" them...

Speaking of which...


3) Empathy and massage: the essential ingredient.

This is really more of a question than a point to make...

I'd really like some feedback from other readers of this newsgroup,
on how important empathy is in *your* massages...?

To me, empathy is the central aspect of massage.  A massage which was
not responsive to the recipient's reactions would be likely to do
much more harm than good, IMHO.  No matter how good your technical
skills are, if you apply them blindly and without regard to the
state of the person they're being applied to, you're going to end
up hurting them (if nothing else, people are put together in incredibly
unique and different ways...what works wonderfully for one person will
do nothing to another, and be positively painful for a third...)

Or is this just me?

Feedback much appreciated, friends.


*hugs*,

Mickey.