Are We a Dying Breed?

I don't think it takes getting spanked to create a spanko. Even from among the generation where most kids WERE spanked, I know quite a few spankos who weren't; so many that he seems there may be a higher percentage of spankos among the non-spanked. I haven't actually done any sort of study, but it seems as if more if these are of the variety that likes spanking for the fun of it rather than as punishment. Since that's my preference, I think we're heading in a GOOD direction.

I tend to agree with the premise that spanking is in no danger of dying out as an "interest" for people. There are probably more people who are spankos now, just as there are more other fetishists of many kinds because of the availabiliy of material and the ability to connect with others who share your particular interests. The internet is the best thing that ever happened for a lot of people. I was never spanked as a child and yet I fantasized about it constantly from my teen years on. A lot of the kids I knew growing up were spanked and, as far as I know, didn't become spankos. Of course I haven't seen most of them for decades and have no idea what they're into now. Back then however, there were no spanking magazines or literature or movies or videos (Hell, there were no videos at all) and I was limited to the occasiona reference in the comics page, or an advice column or the infrequent reference (rarely an actual depiction) on TV or the movies. I watched "McClintock" or "Donovan's Reef" or "The Bad Seed" on TV every chance I got. If I could have recorded them and replayed them (other than in my head) I would have likely worn out the medium they were recorded on (and likely inspired my mother to have me examined by a psychiatrist to see what was wrong with me).

As fewer children are spanked and more schools and other institutions forbid corporal punishment, I think actual spanking might decline, but it also may increase as "kinky" or fetish play among adults since there are many reasons for an interest in spanking other than as punishment. I think spanking has a bright future.

I can only speak for my country, that's Germany. And the facts are, that the average member of spanking forums is over 50 and if you are 45 and going to a spanking event you belong to the youngsters. So I think there are three explanations. Either the younger spankos are hiding very well (but how do they find each other then?) or spanking is dying out or this kink is predominantly developing in the third period of life.

I was never spanked as a child (which no doubt explains why i have grown up to be a princess/brat who wont eat veggies!) but i was born a spanko. I say born because i can honestly not remember a time when it did not fascinate me. I watched cartoons and looked through comics, even before i could read, just to get my 'fix'. The very word 'spanking' itself was enough to make my stomach flip....even when i was so little i thought babies arrived with the stork. So, IMHO, if spanko's are born, not made, it can never die out! Hoorah to that.

1. As others have pointed out, being spanked as a child is not required for you to develop the kink later in life.

2. Spanking of children is still very much allowed - and widely practiced - in many, many places throughout the world. You are drawing conclusions about the entire global paradigm based on only your own country and a few of its neighbors.

3. If children being spanked really was the only factor that could make someone a spanko, that would mean that our kink is purely a reaction to trauma. Your comment that "I don't care because I'll be dead by then" implies that were this not the case, you would wish parents kept spanking in order to produce more kinksters. Think about that statement.

In the Scandinavian countries, spanking by parents has been illegal for about 30 years and corporal punishment in schools was abandoned long before that (in Norway, it was made illegal i 1936). For the last 40 to 50 years, there has been very little mention of spanking in daily life or in the media (except for the sudden recent upsurge). But even so, spanking is still alive in child culture — children play games where spanking is a natural part and they make jokes about spanking. I have talked to a number of young spankos who were never spanked growing up and who didn't know of other kids getting spanked, and still the itch was there. Perhaps this will change as we get more layers of unspanked generations, but I don't really think so. Although I don't think people are born spankos, spanking seems to be a very "natural" fetish (or whatever you want to call it).

I don't think we are in decline, quite the reverse in fact. If you think about all the refererances to spanking on TV and in the media, we seem to be going mainstream. Rhianna, Liz Hurley, The Big Bang Theory and Weeds come to mind, and I'm sure there must be more more.

I think there is another possible explanation, which I've heard postulated. That is that younger people are more open to experimenting with various types of sexual play, which makes it easier for them to find willing partners without having to join groups, attend clubs, or search online. It may just be one more facet of sexuality to explore, with those who find that they're into it also finding the people to play with along the way. I have no way of knowing whether this hypothesis might be true, as I tend not to hang out with a younger crowd or search for partners (of any type) in that age bracket.

I've thought about it, and...I'll be dead by then so I don't really care.

I'm pretty sure you're on to something here.

If you're willing to accept anecdotal evidence, as a member of the younger generation I've encountered little to no stigma against fetishism among my peer group. At worst, they just think its kind of weird, but don't make character judgments based on that. I certainly have nothing to fear from raising the topic during sexual encounters. On the other hand, fetish clubs and the like hold no appeal for me, and a lot of kinky people my age who I've met see them as redundant.

I can't believe I've never seen the connection there, but now that you point it out I'm pretty sure there is one.