Trying to solve the wrong problem with on-line bondage tutorials
The thing I see again and again regarding bondage education is people saying put up more and more video tutorials online for free and this will somehow magically improve safety.
I say 'magically' on purpose because if we stop for a moment and think rationally about this we have to ask what exactly that course of action would do to improve safety? Would it make people tie better, more aware of their own capabilities? Would it teach them their limits? Most importantly would it improve their judgement?
That last is the most important because I believe that the lack of judgement of any person is the main reason for accidents.
A lack of judgement may effect many things
- The ability to accurately asses risk
- The ability self-assess skill levels
- The ability to asses effects on another
If a person lacks the basic skills and sense to execute any bondage properly simply giving them more information wont address the fundamental problem. It will make it worse, give them more things to get wrong in creative ways.
No video tying tutorial is capable of doing the one thing that really needs doing, and that's to stop people doing ill judged and dangerous things that are in fact particularly dangerous due to ill judgement.
Bondage by the book
When it comes to suspension should people do it by the book? For instance should you have a fixed check list and tick off your safety checks? Should it be a rigid and defined procedure, set and unchangeable?
The answer to this is a loud and very resounding no! Fixing things in this way is the enemy of creativity, the enemy of development, the enemy of growth.
On the other hand...
Certain things should be checked, some, before you start, like the health of the suspension rig and your equipment which should be checked out in a methodical manner. When tying load bearing lines during a suspension they should be tied and locked in an appropriate manner.
Where the difficulty arises is in determining what is an appropriate manner.
What is appropriate changes depending on what is being done, with whom in what circumstances. This will in the end be to some extent a matter of judgement. To be able to make this kind of judgement a person needs knowledge and experience.
You cannot replace knowledge and experience with a check list.