Forms of Humiliation In Spanking Stories

The phrase "consensual humiliating spanking" would seem, in my mind, to be an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. I consent to you spanking me because I want to be physically pained, experience emotional euphoria, psychological release and yes even a sort of shame. But I'm not really going to be humiliated in the way most of us would define humiliation. I've consented to something I enjoy, or you enjoy or we both enjoy or one of us is getting paid for. Who would "consent" to something that would cause them true humiliation - avoiding pain, in it's most inclusive definition, is a human's most basic mental need, it's how we survive (survival, of course, is a universal human instinct) - we're all about avoiding pain. Consensual spanking is less painful for those involved than the alternative - more joyful, more healing, more pleasurable, at times more profitable or one wouldn't consent. Spanking is my fetish, it turns me on sexually, but it's also my neurosis it protects me from worse pain - guilt, rejection, true humiliation. People become clean "freaks', as painful as that is in a judgmental society, because it protects them from the alternative which is the greater, unacceptable pain that comes from exposure to germs or from the public humiliation of being seen as untidy. I argue that one can not be truly humiliated by consensual spanking because its reward outweighs the shame or you wouldn't consent to it - you couldn't.
On the other hand, discipline spanking of an offspring, student, significant other, sibling is benefited by the additional element of humiliation. My admittedly clouded opinion I think is fact but for the benefit of this post I will merely comment on humiliation as a part of my fetish turn-on. I like humiliation in various forms these would include the spanking being witness, particularly by friends, little brothers or sisters, crushes and rivals. Any part of the experience that makes the spankee feel less "adult" is also welcomed. That kind of humiliation might come from corner time, language used for scolding, physical positioning of the spanking, role-reversal of participants and/or dress or undress of the one being spanked. Added humiliation may also be experienced when the person being spanked is made to feel "silly" by the convertible being used for the punishment such as their own hairbrush, toy paddle or kitchen spoon. Being spanked by someone you consider your peer or even an underling is certainly cause for humiliation even if you wouldn't consider it true role-reversal.

Humiliation as in degradation - no, not really. Humiliation in the sense of teaching humility, the obvious reinforcement of a power differential, seems inherently part of it in any sort of punishment (as compared to consensual foreplay sorts of) spanking. I've seen (usually by accident) videos that include spanking but also the spankee being led on a leash or similar demeaning acts, which for me is an absolute squick, and some people might describe that as humiliation.

But then the core of almost everything that really resonates with me (which isn't to say I don't enjoy well written stories of other types) is the spanker as kind/loving and doing it for the spankee's own good, which can permit a great deal of pain and unhappiness in the moment but rules out some of the more BDSM elements that I recognize others like.

There can be some elements of humiliation to a consensual spanking. If someone is turned on by being in embarrassing situations and feels a spanking would qualify as such, that's kind of when that whole situation would come about.

Yeah, I think that's what I'm getting at ... I've seen the word used to describe everything from it being humiliating to be spanked, to it being humiliating to be passed around against your wishes at an orgy, which are extremely different things IMO - qualitatively, not just different points along the same spectrum.

But I'm open to the idea that for some people, these are on the same spectrum. One thing I've learned is how very individual all of these quirks are.

I think I'm in the minority here, but I'm not generally a fan of intentional humiliation as part of a spanking story. I like bare-assed spankings because they're more effective and titillating that way, so there may be humiliation based on that, but I prefer it to be more incidental than central. I generally don't enjoy the "spanked in front of the neighbors" types of themes, but sometimes it fits the story well and really works.

I don't usually enjoy reading stories which involve severe humiliation, most especially if it is an undeserved punishment, that makes me cringe. I just wonder how the recipient will ever get over the humiliation and why it is necessary? I have read a few stories involving this type of thing, that I occasionally have a guilty pleasure in reading, I almost love to hate it??? Or hate to love it???
I don't profess to understand why any of us would enjoy such degradation, except in severe circumstances, but as we know, there are so many types of people involved here and we are all different in what we read, write and enjoy. We are all free to choose. At the end of the day, we, as authors, write to engage our readers and if a story is thought provoking and evokes emotions in any way, we have done our job!

Its the fantasy/reality dichotomy. A lot of us enjoy the idea of humiliation, or roleplay scenarios of humiliating situations, but would never want to actually be humiliated outside of a safe and controlled environment.

Personally, when I write a story that involves humiliation or nonconsent, I do it in a very over-the-top and fantastical scenario and usually include a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor. This is to reinforce the idea that this is set in a dreamworld where the usual rules don't apply.

There is this strange and fascinating thing about lsf and the content of our stories - some are horrified by certain stories that are over the top, others love them - some like them to be at least "realistic" in appearance, others love the totally unlikely, in the realms of the unbelievable! I chuckle (or get frustrated sometimes) as I read the comments, where arguments for and against the story are warring for supremacy!
SNM - your are right of course, this is a dream world as usual rules certainly do not apply here and we will all continue to like or dislike as we choose.

My rule of thumb is that the harsher and more embarrassing/undeserved the spanking, the sillier and more surreal the surrounding narrative should be.