PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
I have been talking with alot of different side show, freak show, circus style performers lately and some of them really take their acts pretty far. I know that there is a fetish market for alot of this (Riz would know more accurately about that). Criss Angel put a really dark spin on his magic. PWB just sent me a photo of suspension hangings doubled, where one guy was hooked through points on the back and suspended from the ceiling but then he was also hooked in the front and another man was attached to him through suspensions, it looked kind of like a suspension wire sandwich between two men.

How far would you take this stuff? And why? Is it for the shock or because of enjoyment of the pain?
I am really curious, as it is something I want to think on for myself.
TA!

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
There's a good book called 'Modern Primitives' which focuses on the ritual and spiritual aspects of body modifications, tattoos, piercings, suspensions etc.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
Thanks though Dave, it is a nice read and pictorial. I have seen it.

But that doesn't explain how far people will go for an audience, which is what I would like to know.

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


laZyBRONZE Member
member
94 posts
Location: Somerset...... England


Posted:
I read a book on a guy who was all that. I can't remember who it was by but it was called rituals of the occult. One part was about a performer who was a fake. He pretended to do all the rituals (wich included steeing himself alight, Hanging himself from fish hooks and all sorts." there was a part which basically said that the reason that you go so far was because of the audience. Yo go as far as the audience wants you to go.
i.e. If they are'nt satisfied with your act then you take it a step further untill you do satisfy your audiences.

Am I talking about the wrong thing?
Hope this helps.
laZy

as laZy as .....


laZyBRONZE Member
member
94 posts
Location: Somerset...... England


Posted:
I read a book on a guy who was all that. I can't remember who it was by but it was called rituals of the occult. One part was about a performer who was a fake. He pretended to do all the rituals (wich included setting himself alight, Hanging himself from fish hooks and so on. There was a part which basically said that the reason that he went so far was because of the audience. Yo go as far as the audience wants you to go.
i.e. If they are'nt satisfied with your act then you take it a step further untill you do satisfy your audiences.

Am I talking about the wrong thing?
Hope this helps.
laZy

as laZy as .....


laZyBRONZE Member
member
94 posts
Location: Somerset...... England


Posted:
sorry I posted this twice I must of double clicked or something.
laZy

as laZy as .....


NickCMonkey Wrangler
183 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada


Posted:
I'm sure there are a number of reasons for doing such things as these to the extreme. I know that some physical things I do I will take to an extreme where pain comes into play and you push yourself so much that you just lock in a mode where you use the pain as fuel to keep going. Another reason could be the people watching you, to have the need to impress or astound them and that drives you to go farther than you would otherwise.

I enjoy testing myself and seeing how far I think I can take myself in whatever I may be doing. When I make it past that point it gives me great satisfaction and contentment.

DeimosBRONZE Member
Cinnamon Girl
191 posts
Location: Hfx, NS, Canada


Posted:
There are always people out there wondering why we enjoy playing with fire so much. To alot of people I know, it's a big extreme risk. I guess suspensions etc. are just another way of doing something impressive for a crowd. I'm pretty sure these people wouldn't be doing it if it was something they absolutely hated so their must be some benifit, some kind of similar rush that I get when the fire gets even closer.
To each his own, I guess.

P*L*U*R


LuxBRONZE Member
member
71 posts
Location: Cornwall/ Brighton, England


Posted:
theres a website i love to go to which might help, its https://www.bmezine.com
and is all about peircings, tattoo's, preformers, suspensions and how far people will go. They have a book out aswell. Its got a lots of testimonials from people saying why they did something and the rush it gave them.

Hope this is helpfull.
Lux x

Magnusmember
279 posts
Location: Bath, UK


Posted:
Had an interesting chat with a chap once who'd just got back from being suspended through about a dozen points on his back.

He said it was a spiritual experience...

...I pointed out that for some people, staring at a candle can be a spiritual experience.

I would feel that having to resort to such extremes to reach myself was a sign of being dead to the world in some way. But then, I cry at TV adverts.

Magnus... pay it forward


plantgirlllmember
150 posts
Location: Sydney Australia


Posted:
Lovely topic Pele, think I may have to go away for a while, put pen to paper & try to explain myself. Meanwhile....

I am currently involved in putting together a performance which will be featured at un upcoming fetish party. A number of people are involved & will be having/doing some extreme things such as flogging, cutting, shallow piercings & I personally will be the victim of a rope suspension & a permanent (or 2)genital piercing.

My long term dream is to be suspended through my back by hooks but I have much physical & mental work to do before I can even contemplate the actuality of doing it.

I'm not going to be sitting in the nursing thinking of the things I wish I had done!

People take different roads seeking fulfillment & happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.-H. Jackson Browne


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
YUCK!

(In my opinion of course)


Motivations are a very personal thing, and while a number of them can be lumped together, the closer you look, the more seperate they become.

I feel there are a number of performers out there who mistakenly feel that their audience understands every aspect of their show. That the harder or more shocking they make things, the more entertaining it is.

I'm living proof that this does not have to be the case, and in many situations is completely flawed.

I'm a useless juggler, yet I can entertain hundreds of people at a time with a combination of 1-2 and 3 ball juggling. During that time, there is a lot less juggling than talking.


It's with interest that I see people doing things "in the name of entertainment". They may feel this is ahandy excuse for doing something they want to do.

They may enjoy shocking people (which, in some cases, is the opposite of entertainment).

They might feel that a BTB butterfly in each hand impresses a non-poier as much as a poier.


The interesting thing about all this is that people can sometimes do seriously life-changing (positive or negative) things for a reason that may not have any bearing on what they want out of it.


The NEED to have everyone's attention and applause is not healthy, just as any NEED where you will take almost any steps to achieve it, becomes a problem.


As long as people are doing things for themselves as much as for the audience, then that's all well and good.


hm...now i'm not actualyl sure where i'm going with this.

so, I'll sign off, and see how much i get flamed..

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


LibraGOLD Member
member
47 posts
Location: Norway


Posted:
Post deleted by Libra

plantgirlllmember
150 posts
Location: Sydney Australia


Posted:
Everything I do is for myself, I don't need an audience, I still do what I do without one. I don't aim to shock people too much, the audience knows what they are going to see or wouldn't be there. An audience could never make me do more than I want or intend, I only do what I want. It's not a challenge or dare situation, just an opportunity to share experiences with like-minded people & to do it with theatrics & fun!

People take different roads seeking fulfillment & happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.-H. Jackson Browne


XanathBRONZE Member
member
67 posts
Location: strongsville, ohio, usa


Posted:
this might sound silly, but i think everyone that plays with fire, does body suspensions, they dont do it for the audience; i think unconsciously we do it for the rush. maybe people like us require a higher level of stimuli then most others, and we dont feel ourselves till we get it. whether it be body suspensions, playing with fire, to bungee jumping. we do it for the higher level of stimuli. ive never felt quite like i did till i started poi. it has taught me many things.

Power percieved is power achieved.


Flameflingermember
27 posts
Location: A mythical continent of fire and brimstone. (Oh an...


Posted:
Yibbidybiddibuasusadgdagaaaaah!!!!!!!
Malcom that preacher dude is nuts!!! It ties in with a theory that i have that although (this might not sucessfully realte to the topic at hand, but...) people do do this for themselves, the reason it suceeds and continues to grow is the basic human instinct of voyuerism.
I mean just looking at those photos gives me a rush - and im not even the one doing it...


The other thing i wanted to say was that maybe taking stuff far is (to generalize a fair bit) just pushing yourself to be the best you can at something? If you can do a pinwheel this fast - you want to be able to do it this fast. If you can stand getting a bar put through your genitals, then maybe you can stand suspension with hooks. Is it logical progression of something that starts off as socially acceptable, then moves further into forms that society isnt willing to accept?
Is the whole reason that it is "underground" art forms thaT shock the most because we dont see them on video hits or MTV?

L:ots of people would see fire twirling (Fwirling to borrow benders phrase) as extremely dangerous and out there. But because we have been exposed to it, and we know that we love to do it - we see ways around that danger.
Is it time that we gave people a hand to make what their doing safer, by accepting what their doing? Keeping in mind of course that HoP on a whole doesnt really fit in to normal society groups, What should we be doing to help, and do they need our help at all?

I cant help feeling ive gone off the topic a little...
M

We are all in the gutter. But some of us are trying to set it alight...You can't be a proper country without a beer. Possibly an airline and a rugby team, but at the very least you need a beer.Eat Well, Stay Fit, Die Anyway


plantgirlllmember
150 posts
Location: Sydney Australia


Posted:
Is it logical progression of something that starts off as socially acceptable, then moves further into forms that society isnt willing to accept?

I don't believe that people who are into some of these extreme things really care too much about the greater social acceptance factor. Within their own social circles it is acceptable, normal, even average, but special nevertheless.


Is it time that we gave people a hand to make what their doing safer, by accepting what their doing?

We are safe! Very safe! Accepting or not accepting doesn't change this. One of the huge lessons I have learned on my journey is that the seemingly scariest physical things turn out to actually be mental battles. When one finds out exactly what actually is happening on a physical level it often realised that it's not necessarily aa damaging, painful or injury-causing at it first seems. It's the mind that makes it scary. Once I have the fear conquered, I can use my mind to deal with the physical realities & they are then usually far more interesting & exciting than frightening!

People take different roads seeking fulfillment & happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.-H. Jackson Browne


Flameflingermember
27 posts
Location: A mythical continent of fire and brimstone. (Oh an...


Posted:
coolie doolies!!
No problems then!

M
(Actually now that i think about it i cant see the preacher really caring about social accpetance much either :grin: - i guess that post was pretty naive, you'll have to excuse me for that one!~ Late night... )

We are all in the gutter. But some of us are trying to set it alight...You can't be a proper country without a beer. Possibly an airline and a rugby team, but at the very least you need a beer.Eat Well, Stay Fit, Die Anyway



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