The Root of submission

I read some rather harsh comments to a post on a blog that I follow and it got me thinking a bit about something I hadn't thought about in quite a while.

The topic in question is:  are men submissive out of love and devotion or is it due to sexual arousal?

In my perfect submissive ideal I would wish that the nature of my submission was purely out of love and devotion and obeying the natural order of Female Supremacy.

In reality, all men are flawed creatures and submissive men are especially vulnerable to the calling of their penis (which aids in making us easy to control and exploit).  I am no exception to this rule.

Going back to the question at hand, do I submit out of love or is it because it turns me on?

I don't think there's a clear-cut polarized answer.  It reminds me a bit of the arguments for and against the existence of altruism.  Do people behave altruistically because it is good to be altruistic or are they truly selfish and behave this way because it makes them feel good about themselves?

Can't it be both?  While I'm sure how much each side contributes to their decision varies a lot from person to person, I don't think there are many (or any) people out there who could honestly say they do something altruistic purely out of good will (although they might wish this were true).  I also don't think there are many people out there who would do it solely to make themselves feel good.  In most cases I think it's both reasons that would drive them to act that way (but I do believe that if someone were to fall into a single answer it is more likely they did it for themselves). 

Similarly, I don't think there are many subs in long-term D/s relationships who submit purely out of love, nor are there many subs in long-term D/s relationships who submit purely for sexual arousal.  I think finding a single answer is unlikely and for most of these subs it is varying degrees of both.  Removing the long-term D/s relationship qualification, I believe it is more likely to find the latter type, such as a husband who cheats on his wife with a pro dominatrix for the sexual rush. 

Since I definitely fall into the "both" category, does this make me less of a sub?  Maybe slightly, but I don't think it's worth beating myself up over it.  Even the best intentions can be derailed by the call of the penis.  Also, I can name at least a dozen things that would be far worse actions to be aroused by.

Does answering both make me less of a man?  Well... sadly, it probably makes me more of a man.

All I know for sure is that I submit because it feels right.  I submit because it feels natural.  It turns me on to submit.  I am a flawed submissive male that is grateful for being given the chance to submit.