Irrational Seduction

 ( One more day on the sale at Violent Seduction!! Half off - only once a year! Hurry to take advantage! )

Gifts are a funny thing.

In my job, I often have clients trying to give me things - and ethically I can only accept the smallest and least financially valuable things, so it often ends up being little things like tea and maybe a piece of cake. Today, one of my more reserved clients gave me not only some slice, processed meat but also half a soda, and all the way through eating it (whut, it was good!) I thought about the weight gifts play, how gifts shift the social and fiscal relationships between people,and the weirdness of the therapeutic relationship - which is simultaneously a matter of fiscal exchange (I get paid for it) and social currency (I legitimately have affection and empathy for my clients). This plays into the similar mix in second life, where bloggers who blog fashion both can have fiscal exchanges (we often get things for free that we would otherwise have to pay for) and social ties (I am often friends with store owners who I blog).

One of the more interesting books I read recently was Predictably Irrational, which talks about the different ways we respond to social and financial issues - and that as soon as a market or money mentality is introduced, the social ties take a backseat and may even be destroyed. Gifts are a rather gray area, mostly in the area of social but some may become perfunctory - which can lead to more of a market mentality. Social ties are stronger and more resilient, but they demand more of both sides - a basic level of respect which needs to be held between those and which allows for open communication and flexibility.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De La Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: *X*plosion, Prim Lashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Elymode, Bold coal & blue
Eyeliner: Idiosyncrasy, Eyeliner 6
Lipstick: Mock, Bella Vetro Gloss - Santa Fe
Hair: D!va, Nanako - Cat's Eye
Dress & Ears: Violent Seduction, (promotional item)
Ring 1: Alchemy Immortalis, Nestling Talisman
Ring 2: Earthstones, Eternal Blossom Ring - Bouquet
Stockings: G Field, Ruffle Socks - white
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingbacks - cobalt blue

Pose: HelaMiyo

Location: Rural New England
Light Settings: TOR, EUPHORIA smokey blue
Water Settings: Claira

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping only