I saw a man running around on fire, yesterday evening. I should probably add that I subsequently saw him extinguished, grinning like a loon and riding a quad bike so hopefully no harm whatsoever done to him.
Should also probably offer an explanation that this wasn’t any kind of fetish event, but my mind is never entirely out of my underwear, so I started thinking about fire, and kink, and entertainment, and people putting themselves at risk. I have often thought that the desire to do scary, dangerous and basically unnecessary things that don’t involve genital activity or a desirable partner are not a great deal different from the ones that do.
Playing with fire, literal fire, is certainly part of some people’s kink repertoire, whether that involves hot wax, or thrilling rope-related tricks with theatrical props such as flash cotton. There are also lots of people who are pyro enthusiasts in a more general way, and I do sometimes wonder how many of those who spend a lot of time running blazing torches up and down their arms actually like to do a bit of the same in a bedroom situation (this is not just because one of the sexiest men I ever saw was doing a fire-eating/fire-juggling performance the night I met him. Honest,)
The common factors, whether your thing is flames, sharp knives, putting yourself through some kind of extreme physical challenge or just watching the scariest films you can find, are probably a liking for the adrenaline rush, a search for intensity… and maybe a bit of a fondness for showing off. All of these things are sexy, too.Some of us like our thrills to come with a safety net and proper supervision; others prefer the extra edge of excitement that comes with the awareness it could all go horribly wrong at any moment. But the next time you hear a load of old willy about kinky people being deep-down unhappy, or not right in the head, ask yourself if the same should be said about the hang-gliders, deep-sea divers, marathon runners or rollercoaster fans of your acquaintance. Let alone that mate of yours who favours the hottest and most horrifying chili sauce imaginable…