Is tickling a fetish, or just a game?

[solescratcher99]

He told me that generally there are different levels ... he had specific terminology, but I thought of it as: a turn-on, a kink, a fixation and a fetish (or paraphelia if we want to get fancy).

Exactly. There are varying degrees. Unfortunately, most people like to think in black-n-white terms on certain matters.

Differences of degree makes differences of kind.

Something I just thought of is that if you have an obsessive or addictive personality, you may be more likely to have obsessive 'turn-ons' which could get confused as a paraphilia (fetish is a sub-category of paraphilia). I've known some people who, after taking care of their obsessive attitudes, stopped needing to do things in a particular way just to get aroused. In fact, that's usually why they don't give up their obsessive characteristics. They're afraid they won't enjoy sex, eating, drinking, etc. quite as much.

When some chucklehead on the internet says he has dozens of fetishes, this is usually what he means... that he's turned on by lots of things nominally.

The media takes all this and lumps it all together and largely condemns it, which my therapist said is a pretty bad thing. It makes people afraid to experiment or occasionally indulge in some different things for fear of being thought of as abnormal.

People also like to encourage those same social narratives and lump things together because being outside of society makes them feel unique and special (e.g., the rebel, the punk). The idea that they may not be as unique as they thought they were is a threat to their self-concept. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case with some people here. It's a pretty common occurrence.

So I think Wikipedia is doing the right thing by allowing broader definitions like 'tickle games' instead of 'tickle fetishes.'

Agreed.

 

[Maestro1874]

Fe-tish

 

[TickVix]

fetish with game like elements.

 

[cue]

I think it's all depending how the individual person sees it.

Some sees it as "torture", as they hate being tickled.

Some sees it as "foreplay", as it's sexual to them.

Some sees it as "a game", as they just enjoy it and it's not sexual to them.

Who's right, who's wrong? Neither, to be honest. "Another man's trash, is another man's treasure". What is hated by one, is loved by another.

Scott hates being tickled, so he views it as "torture" for him. It's very sexual for me, so we both view it as "foreplay". Both of us are right, but it just depends on how the individual person views it.

 

[Backstep]

tatufeet, I used to feel the same way about nylons until a couple of years ago. Then I was at a DSW one day looking for a new pair of sneakers and snitched one of those (free) foot hose things for women trying on shoes on impulse, having heard about so many people into nylons. At home I slipped it over my right hand and ran my left hand gently along my palm and seriously jumped. It felt mose sensitive to my complete surprise.

I 've been appreciative ever since. 🙂

solescratcher99, that's an interesting take about obsessive personalities; it certainly fits a couple of people I've known over the years.

 

[BMoreTklr]

Good Stuff Indeed

Well, I had a therapist that I spoke to a few years ago -


*Audience groans*


No, this is good stuff!

He told me that generally there are different levels ... he had specific terminology, but I thought of it as: a turn-on, a kink, a fixation and a fetish (or paraphelia if we want to get fancy).

A turn-on is something arousing that leads to sexual intimacy and encompasses a wide, wide variety of things. When some chucklehead on the internet says he has dozens of fetishes, this is usually what he means... that he's turned on by lots of things nominally.

A kink is something that is consistantly effective in arousal and can have some degree in focus in sexual intimacy without being vital to any sexual activity. Most people have at least a couple of these, even if they're too timid to try.

A fixation means that the object/act/body part is necessary for full sexual gratification, but doesn't have to take the place of sexual activity.

A fetish is when it's begun to take the place of sexual activity.

The media takes all this and lumps it all together and largely condemns it, which my therapist said is a pretty bad thing. It makes people afraid to experiment or occasionally indulge in some different things for fear of being thought of as abnormal.

I definitely have a fixation, but not a fetish as much, and even that clarification helped me get through a few things I was going through at the time. So I think Wikipedia is doing the right thing by allowing broader definitions like 'tickle games' instead of 'tickle fetishes.'

Hmmm........I may need to re-evaluate why original answer.....to be continued

 

[TickleMeP1nK]

I'd say it's a fetish. I don't know many games where the person wants/likes to be tied up and tickled until they pass out or beg lol. People who think it's a game or used to mess around won't really do it often nor do they think about it. As a fetish, we enjoy it for a fair amount of reasons. That's how I feel at least haha.

 

[LordTickling]

For me, I guess it's a fetish, however I would play the games 🙂

 

[Sunriseticklee]

It may well be a bit of both. the challenge element of tickling someone is something I enjoy, and that can both be a fetish and a game at the same time I guess.

Agreed.

🙂

 

[Myriads]

How about stepping back and looking at the question from outside the box the OP's question frames it in?

Tickling is a human behavior. Like kissing, or fucking, or eating, or hiking, or dancing.

As a human behavior it takes on different meanings to individuals that participate in it. Each person will bring a different set of wants, likes, and meaning to the table.

Tickling CAN be a game. Or it CAN be a fetish. Or it can be an annoyance, or nothing. And so on.

Myriads