Appeal of the Peelers

[dragon wench]

I had to spend some time bussing around today, and as we went by one of the city's more sleazy districts I noticed the various strip bars. Even though it was still early, there were people entering and leaving.

Anyway, that got me to thinking.. or wondering..
I know there is all kinds of literature out there on the subject, but what in your view, is the appeal of places like that?

Once, a number of years ago, I was dragged to a "Ladies Night" at the local gay bar, where they had men dancing expressly for women. The place was pretty low key, and not *too* tacky, so I acquiesced in being hauled along with a group of women I knew at the time.
I really can't say the experience was terribly exciting or interesting, and I couldn't really see the point of ogling some guy on a stage when what I have at home is far better, and far more real. Indeed, the entire thing left me totally cold. It might have been moderately more interesting if the guys that were displaying their wares had actually been decent dancers, but they were not, so I was thoroughly bored.


So, I ask, in your opinion, what is the attraction to strip bars?

[Magrus]

Don't know, never been to one and I do not plan on it. I've had girls I've dated strip for me and dance, but...that is a completely different scenario. It's intimate and playful, and you know and care for the person.

[shana]

The free buffet?

[Magrus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shana The free buffet?

The images that just inspired, wow. Wait, do they offer free food at strip clubs that focus on women customers? If so, that's completely different from the strip clubs that focus on male customers.

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shana The free buffet?

Though, what is the point of a smorgasboard if you can't sample the menu? Not that you would probably want to anyway..... *shudder*


Seriously, maybe it is because nudity is no big deal to me, or maybe it is because I generally dislike sleazy venues like that, but I've just never managed to understand the attraction.

[shana]

I don't know of any clubs that try to attract women customers, in fact, some clubs don't want any at all. But, I have seen ads for free meals as long as you are drinking and tipping.

I don't understand the attraction myself. I have been to strip clubs and had fun because I was always with a large group of friends and we were always intoxicated, but I can't imagine planning to go to a club on any random night just for the heck of it.

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shana I don't understand the attraction myself. I have been to strip clubs and had fun because I was always with a large group of friends and we were always intoxicated, but I can't imagine planning to go to a club on any random night just for the heck of it.

Yes, exactly, if you would have been just as likely to go to a pub, and it's basically a social gathering, I can see it.
But...to go for the sake of watching somebody dance around nude on a stage.... it's just not especially interesting.
Even if the person has an attractive body, they themselves are detached (understandably) from the audience, you might as well be watching on a television, and for me, there's just no thrill or interest.

I associate nudity with casual activities like swimming, sunbathing and beaches, wandering out of the shower, that type of thing.... Or, more intimate situations. So, I suppose I perceive nudity as entertainment to be... well... weird...

[Bloodstalker]

I happen to be one of the people who likes sleazy

What's the appeal? It's a lot of things for me I guess. I like the tacky, sleazy quality of the places I've been to. I've been to some clubs where I was bored out of my mind, and some where I had a blast the whole night. A lot of it depends on the atmosphere of the club and the dancers. Dancers are like any other group of people I suppose, you get some who are not very good at either dancing or interacting with the customers, and you get some who are good at it. I remember when I was a regular at one club, I got to know most of the girls pretty good, and it was a lot more natural and fun after that. I'd get free dances and drinks from some of them, I think I became like a pet or something

But it all goes back to I like sleazy things in life

[TonyMontana1638]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shana The free buffet?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah

You've found me out it seems.

[Ravager]

Does this mean you've volunteered to become the chef?

[TonyMontana1638]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravager Does this mean you've volunteered to become the chef?

Well I get in free dammit.

[Chimaera182]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench I had to spend some time bussing around today, and as we went by one of the city's more sleazy districts I noticed the various strip bars. Even though it was still early, there were people entering and leaving. Anyway, that got me to thinking.. or wondering.. I know there is all kinds of literature out there on the subject, but what in your view, is the appeal of places like that? Once, a number of years ago, I was dragged to a "Ladies Night" at the local gay bar, where they had men dancing expressly for women. The place was pretty low key, and not *too* tacky, so I acquiesced in being hauled along with a group of women I knew at the time. I really can't say the experience was terribly exciting or interesting, and I couldn't really see the point of ogling some guy on a stage when what I have at home is far better, and far more real. Indeed, the entire thing left me totally cold. It might have been moderately more interesting if the guys that were displaying their wares had actually been decent dancers, but they were not, so I was thoroughly bored. So, I ask, in your opinion, what is the attraction to strip bars?

It's personal taste, probably. I've never been to one myself--not counting the fact that one of the clubs I went to had hired dancers strip down to their underwear and dance, but there were only two of them, and it was mainly a club, not a strip joint--and I honestly don't think I care to. I was invited to once with a friend of mine, but it was not at all my cup of tea, so I didn't go (for various reasons). Frankly, staring at strippers would depress me more than excite me, and it's the same with porn; I look at people I could never have, I could never look like them, and I just normally wind up depressed (er, usually, but sometimes I get really up for it, too ).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magrus Don't know, never been to one and I do not plan on it. I've had girls I've dated strip for me and dance, but...that is a completely different scenario. It's intimate and playful, and you know and care for the person.

Plus, you don't have to put bills down her undies. Just hands, with no ulterior motives. Instead of putting money in their undies and hoping to get a feel of something, you just go in to get a feel of something, no ulterior motives, see?

Quote:

Originally Posted by shana The free buffet?

ROFL omg. That's hilarious, seriously. That's on par with something a friend and her friend said once while we were at a hookah bar last year. "You know what they have at weddings, don't you?" "A buffet?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by shana I don't understand the attraction myself. I have been to strip clubs and had fun because I was always with a large group of friends and we were always intoxicated, but I can't imagine planning to go to a club on any random night just for the heck of it.

Now see, going with a group of friends will make it more fun and interesting, because it's just another night out. In that way, going to a strip club could be fun. However, such fun could be had literally anywhere else, but then you don't get to make fun of the strippers with your friends.

[Athena]

Strip clubs don't appeal to me at all. I lived in San Fransisco right near Broadway Street and China Town. Some people out at night were looking at me like I had something for them. Or watching to see if I went into a club so they could come see me. I didn't hang around that part for long.

[C Elegans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench So, I ask, in your opinion, what is the attraction to strip bars?

There are no really reliable studies of this topic, so my opinions must be based on what little is known, plus some speculation.

I think appreciation of strip bars can be roughly divided into three groups:

1. appreciation of something novel, loaded and taboo in case you live in a culture where sex and nudity is loaded.

2. a feeling of luxury, similar to what some people can feel in casinos, five star hotels and other environments that are stereotype symbols for wealth, superficial success and being able to buy everything you want

3. related to the issue of buying everything you want, the most important factor in sex-consumption is the feeling of control over your own satisfaction of needs. This has been investigated in qualitative studies of sex-buyers, and my speculation is that it plays a role also in strip bar visitors since there is a large overlap between strip bar guests and buyers of prostitutes.

Contrary to common beliefs, lack of access to sex appears to be an unimportant factor in sex-buying behaviour. Material from interview studies and field-studies indicate that most sex-buyers wants to buy an object and consume it just as you buy any item and consume it. The key factor is the control over satisfying your needs. This is not so difficult to understand I think. Consider that it is relatively common that people fear love because they are afraid to be hurt. This is another aspect of having a need for controlling satisfaction of your needs. If you love somebody, you have made an emotional attachment and committment in something you cannot control. You may loose the beloved person or the love of that person at any time. For people who have a stronger need for security and guarantees, this fact can create an unpleasant feeling of being vulnerable and unprotected, which in turn can lead either to not having loving relationships or having them but with unnecessary difficulties. For love needs, there is no simple solution but for sexual needs there is a solution. Many people who buy sex do this because they want a guarantee. They want to get back what they invest and be sure that its worth it, so to speak. Instead of risking disappointment and waste of time, energy and engagement, you buy the desired need satisfaction and get exactly what you pay for.

Obviously, anything that does not go exactly the way you desire have a potential to make you feel negative emotions. You may feel hurt, disappointed, rejected and what have you. The tolerance people have for such feelings varies widely between individuals, as well as the threshold for triggering off the negative response. Some sex-buyers get an extra kick out of the feeling of security and control whereas others view it as a rational and efficient way to simply by a service. It should be noted though that sex-buyers as well as sex-sellers show an overrepresentation of psychiatric problems.

Personally, I have no experience of strip clubs other than from the outside and from social studies. Where I live you see more nudity when taking a walk in the part a fine summer's day than you'd see at some dark strip bar. Nudity does not have the loading in Sweden as it has in North America or the Middle east, so there are no pure strip clubs here, only a few illegal combined strip- and prositution clubs. Since buying sex is illegal in Sweden, those clubs are usually set up with a surface of legal club activity like "dance" shows and "waitresses" in thong bikinis going around selling overprices alcohol and then the prostitution occurrs in side rooms for "members only". Thus, as I wrote above, the population that visit strip clubs are mostly synonymous with the population who buy sex.

[Darzog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench I really can't say the experience was terribly exciting or interesting, and I couldn't really see the point of ogling some guy on a stage when what I have at home is far better, and far more real.

I think this one comment is a key component for some people. Either they don't have someone at home, are having problems with the person at home or are bored with the person at home. The strippers then become novel and/or non-judgemental objects of attraction.