In regards to the silent treatment as punishment, I completely 100% absolutely positively whole-heartedly disagree.

I can't think of a more irresponsible and disrespectful thing to do.

I am currently involved in an o/l relationship that we both hope to move to real time. If he ever tried to use the silent treatment as punishment, I'd show him the door.

That isn't a dominant in my opinion. It's someone that doesn't have the imagination or personal resources to handle a situation which truly requires them to rise to the occasion. In other words, immature.

The only time I think silence is appropriate is when they are so angry that they need to take a "time out" to collect themselves. And that should only be done in extreme situations where the submissive knows what's going on.

I may be alone in this, but I honestly was so offended by the thought of being given the "silent treatment" as punishment that I had to bring back a topic that had died a year ago.

I don't believe in it for vanilla and most certainly not for bdsm. It is a cruel form of manipulation. "If you don't obey, then I won't let you be around me". You can't withdraw your love just because someone angers you.

Whatever happened to discussion, compromise and communication?