I have only just read this thread, and its probably just as well because I'm not sure I would have remained as polite as all here managed.

Lets get a few facts in order here.

These so called secret 'houses' in Europe that are hundreds of years old are a myth created by wannabees to give themselves credibility.

Whether someone has been 'trained' or stumbled through adventures with their partner, it is what was learnt that is the most important thing.

Many people like to claim xxx years of experience to give themselves more credibility. But its often that when one claims 30 years experience they really are talking 1 year's experience 30 times over.

A carpenter without any wood or tools is still a carpenter.

BDSM was not discovered after WW2 by some gay black men. This reference revealed a lack of knowledge on a subject raised. The gay men (not necessarily black) after WW2 are referred to as the 'Old Guard'. They did not claim to invent BDSM, but they were the people that brought it out of the closet. For those that are interested I can give a website created by a(online) friend of mine that is a historian and has researched bdsm history. Oooohhh and while it wasn't mentioned in this thread, there are some people that try to get credibility by claiming they were trained by the 'Old Guard', just as others claim they were trained by centuries old secret houses in europe (they usually pick germany).


And to get back to the original question.

To be praised as a good Top does NOT negate other qualities. A Dom (or Master) needs to be a Top also.

The difference between sub and slave (Dom and Master) is debated on every BDSM forum on the net. Since there are no hard and fast rules in the lifestyle, it is purely opinion. In my humble opinion, the difference between a sub and a slave is how you want to define yourself. I know subs who show much more submission than some who define themselves as slaves.

OK.... off my soap box now

Brosco