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Sadism and masochism


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Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Flogging_demo_fols
om_2004.jpg/200px-Flogging_demo_folsom_2004.jpg> 

Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004.

This article is about sadism and masochism as aspects of BDSM. For sadism
and masochism as paraphilia, see Sadism and masochism as medical terms. For
nonsexual sadism, see Sadistic personality disorder

Sadism is the sexual pleasure or gratification in the infliction of pain and
suffering upon another person. The word is derived from the name of the
Marquis de Sade, a prolific French philosopher-writer of sadistic novels,
plays, and a unique philosophical discourse that championed the infliction
and reception of extreme pain as an art form that to him was both sublime
and beautiful. The counterpart of sadism is masochism, the sexual pleasure
or gratification of having pain or suffering inflicted upon the self, often
consisting of sexual fantasies or urges for being beaten, humiliated, bound,
tortured, or otherwise made to suffer, either as an enhancement to or a
substitute for sexual pleasure. The name is derived from the name of the
19th century author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, known for his novel Venus in
Furs that dealt with highly masochistic themes.

Sadism and masochism, often interrelated (one person obtaining sadistic
pleasure by inflicting pain or suffering on another person who thereby
obtains masochistic pleasure), are collectively known as S&M or
sadomasochism.

The words are now commonly used to describe personality traits in an
emotional, rather than sexual sense. Although it is quite different from the
original meaning, this usage is not entirely inaccurate. There is quite
frequently a strong emotional aspect to the sexual desires, taking the form
of a need for domination or submission—the desire to control another, or to
be controlled, as opposed to a simple desire for pain (which is technically
known as algolagnia).


Contents


*       1 The biology of S&M 
*       2 The psychology of S&M 
*       3 The distinction between S&M, BDSM and D/S 
*       4 Sadism and masochism in real life 
*       5 Sadism and masochism in fiction 
*       6 Sadomasochism in popular culture 
*       7 See also 
*       8 External links 
*       9 Further reading 

        


[edit] The biology of S&M

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Pain, violence, sex and love all are associated with the release of a
variety of hormones and chemicals within the human body. Furthermore, humans
have been shown to exhibit sympathetic responses in their bodies while
watching, hearing, or imagining such experiences.

*       Levels of sex hormone testosterone can be temporarily affected by
one's role S&M interactions. Dominant participants often get raised
testosterone levels; whereas submissive participants often get depressed
testosterone levels. 

*       Endorphins are released by pain experiences and can be perceived as
pleasurable and possibly psychologically addictive. It is due to this same
release of endorphins that people can become addicted to self harm. In this
way, the acts of self harm and engaging in masochistic behavior can be
similar in function though most would agree, not in causality. 

*       Brain chemicals such as serotonin and melatonin can be affected by
emotional or stressful experiences. 

*       Epinephrine and norepinephrine are released during stressful or
painful experiences, and can cause a pleasurable 'rush'. 

The effects of S&M on body chemistry probably reinforce the behavior and
therefore create psychological states that seek to further such behavior.


[edit] The psychology of S&M


The terms sadism and masochism were first used consistently to describe
these behaviors by the German psychiatrist Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing
in his 1886 compilation of case studies Psychopathia Sexualis, a famous
study of sexual perversity. Sigmund Freud, a psychoanalyst and a
contemporary of Krafft-Ebing, noted that both were often found in the same
individuals, and combined the two into a single dichotomous entity known as
sadomasochism (often abbreviated as S&M or S/M). This observation is
commonly verified in both literature and practice; many sadists and
masochists define themselves as "switchable"—capable of taking pleasure in
either role. However it has also been argued (Deleuze, Coldness and Cruelty)
that the concurrence of sadism and masochism in Freud's model should not be
taken for granted.

Both Krafft-Ebing and Freud assumed that sadism in men resulted from the
distortion of the aggressive component of the male sexual instinct.
Masochism in men, however, was seen as a more significant aberration,
contrary to the nature of male sexuality. Freud doubted that masochism in
men was ever a primary tendency, and speculated that it may exist only as a
transformation of sadism. Sadomasochism in women received comparatively
little discussion, as it was believed that it occurred primarily in men.
Both also assumed that masochism was so inherent to female sexuality that it
would be difficult to distinguish as a separate inclination.

Havelock Ellis, in Studies in the Psychology of Sex, argued that there is no
clear distinction between the aspects of sadism and masochism, and that they
may be regarded as complementary emotional states. He also made the
important point that sadomasochism is concerned only with pain in regard to
sexual pleasure, and not in regard to cruelty, as Freud had suggested. In
other words, the sadomasochist generally desires that the pain be inflicted
or received in love, not in abuse, for the pleasure of either one or both
participants. This mutual pleasure may even be essential for the
satisfaction of those involved.

Here Ellis touches upon the often paradoxical nature of consensual S&M. It
is not only pain to initiate pleasure, but violence—or the simulation of
violence—to express love. This contradictory character is perhaps most
evident in the observation by some that not only are sadomasochistic
activities usually done for the benefit of the masochist, but that it is
often the masochist that controls them, through subtle emotional cues
received by the sadist.

In his essay Coldness and Cruelty, Gilles Deleuze rejects the term
'sadomasochism' as artificial, especially in the context of the prototypical
masochistic work, Sacher-Masoch's Venus In Furs. Deleuze instead argues that
the tendency toward masochism is based on desire brought on from the delay
of gratification. Taken to its extreme, an infinite delay, this is
manifested as perpetual coldness. The masochist derives pleasure from, as
Deleuze puts it, The Contract: the process by which he can control another
individual and turn the individual into someone cold and callous. The
Sadist, in contrast, derives pleasure from The Law: the unavoidable power
that places one person below another. The sadist attempts to destroy the ego
in an effort to unify the id and superego, in effect gratifying the most
base desires the sadist can express while ignoring or competely suppressing
the will of the ego, or of the conscience. Thus, Deleuze attempts to argue
that Masochism and Sadism arise from such different impulses that the
combination of the two terms is meaningless and misleading. The perceived
sadistic capabilities of masochists are treated by Deleuze as reactions to
masochism. Indeed, in the epilogue of Venus In Furs, the character of
Severin has become bitter from his experiment in masochism, and advocates
instead the domination of women.

Many theorists, particularly feminist theories, have suggested that
sadomasochism is an inherent part of modern Western culture. According to
their theories, sex and relationships are both consistently taught to be
formulated within a framework of male dominance and female submission. Some
of them further link this hypothesized framework to inequalities among
gender, class, and race which remain a substantial part of society, despite
the efforts of the civil rights movement and feminism.

There are a number of reasons commonly given for why a sadomasochist finds
the practice of S&M enjoyable, and the answer is largely dependent on the
individual. For some, taking on a role of compliance or helplessness offers
a form of therapeutic escape; from the stresses of life, from
responsibility, or from guilt. For others, being under the power of a
strong, controlling presence may evoke the feelings of safety and protection
associated with childhood. They likewise may derive satisfaction from
earning the approval of that figure (see: Servitude (BDSM)). A sadist, on
the other hand, may enjoy the feeling of power and authority that comes from
playing the dominant role, or receive pleasure vicariously through the
suffering of the masochist. It is poorly understood, though, what ultimately
connects these emotional experiences to sexual gratification, or how that
connection initially forms.

It is usually agreed on by psychologists that experiences during early
sexual development can have a profound effect on the character of sexuality
later in life. Sadomasochistic desires, however, seem to form at a variety
of ages. Some individuals report having had them before puberty, while
others do not discover them until well into adulthood. According to one
study, the majority of male sadomasochists (53%) developed their interest
before the age of 15, while the majority of females (78%) developed their
interest afterwards (Breslow, Evans, and Langley 1985). Like sexual
fetishes, sadomasochism can be learned through conditioning—in this context,
the repeated association of sexual pleasure with an object or stimulus.


[edit] The distinction between S&M, BDSM and D/S


BDSM is a short-hand acronym for many subdivisions of the culture: (B&D)
bondage and discipline, (D&S) domination and submission, (S&M) sadism and
masochism. Sadists enjoy inflicting pain; it may or may not be sexual in
nature. Masochists enjoy receiving pain, which, again, may or may not be
sexual. Dominance and submission is a more internal distinction, a power
dynamic rather than a set of acts. Not all masochists are submissive, and
not all submissives enjoy pain. Not all sadists are dominant, and not all
who enjoy dominating others are sadists.


[edit] Sadism and masochism in real life


The term BDSM describes the quite common activities between consenting
adults that contain sadistic and masochistic elements. Many behaviors such
as erotic spanking, tickling and love-bites that many people think of only
as "rough" sex also contain elements of sado-masochism. Note the issue of
legal consent which may or may not represent a defense to criminal liability
for any more serious injuries caused.

In certain extreme cases, sadism and masochism can include fantasies, sexual
urges or behaviour that cause significant distress or impairment in social,
occupational, or other important areas of functioning, to the point that
they can be considered part of a mental disorder. However, this is an
uncommon case, and psychiatrists are now moving towards regarding sadism and
masochism not as disorders in and of themselves, but only as disorders when
associated with other problems such as a personality disorder.

"Sadism" and "masochism," in the context of consensual sexual activities,
are not strictly accurate terms, at least by the psychological definitions.
"Sadism" in absolute terms refers to someone whose pleasure in causing pain
does not depend on the consent of the "victim." Indeed, a lack of consent
may be a requisite part of the experience for a true sadist. Similarly, the
masochist in consensual BDSM is someone who enjoys the experience of pain in
a particular context and, usually, according to a certain scripted and
mutually agreed upon "scene." These "masochists" do not typically enjoy pain
in other scenarios, such as accidental injury, medical procedures, and so
on.

Similarly, the exchange of power in S&M may not be along the expected lines.
While it might be assumed that the "sadist," or "top"--the person who gives
the sensation or causes the humiliation--is the one with the power, the
actual power may lie with the "masochist," or "bottom," who typically
creates the script, or at least sets the boundaries, by which the S&M
practitioners play.


[edit] Sadism and masochism in fiction


*       In general, the depiction of sadism and masochism in fiction tends
to be portrayed from the viewpoint of masochistic fantasy. 

*       Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's novel Venus in Furs is essentially one
long masochistic fantasy, where the male principal character encourages his
mistress to mistreat him. It inspired a song of the same name, and about the
same subject matter, by the rock group The Velvet Underground, featuring the
lyric "Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather." 

*       Edward Hyde, one of the main characters Robert Louis Stevenson's in
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is described as experiencing
glee when he beats statesman Sir Danvers Carew to death. 

*       George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four might be seen as containing
sadism, in that the man O'Brien, when he is torturing Winston Smith, seems
to enjoy doing so. Indeed, he exults in the destruction and despair he
inflicts, seeing it as an exercise of power. 

*       The 1971 film Straw Dogs, by director Sam Peckinpah, features a
scene where the character of Amy Sumner (played by Susan George) is "raped"
by her ex-boyfriend. The scene is extremely ambiguous, but it is usually
interpreted that Amy begins to enjoy the encounter, of which she is the
masochistic subject. 

*       In the 1987 film Hellraiser and its sequels, Pinhead (the lead
cenobite) feels that there is beauty in suffering and torture. 

*       The novel @Gordon@, by Edith Templeton, is a semi-autobigraphical
account of a long-tem sadomasochistic relationship. 

*       Story of O is another classic masochistic novel, written by a woman,
Pauline Réage. In this novel, the female principal character is kept in a
chateau and educated by a group of men using a wide range of BDSM type
techniques. 

*       The novelist Anne Rice, best known for Interview with the Vampire,
wrote the sadomasochistic trilogy The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty under the
pseudonym of A. N. Roquelaure. 
*       Terry Brooks' The Wishsong of Shannara features a demon called the
Jachyra, which is delighted and excited by pain-- its own and that of others
alike. 

*       In Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead, the sexual relationship
between the protagonists is characterized by violence and force, which the
female protagonist savours. 

*       The 2001 movie La Pianiste (released with subtitles as The Piano
Teacher) describes a relationship between a repressed piano teacher and her
pupil, which ends unhappily when she reveals her extreme masochistic desires
to him, which brings the relationship to an end, but not before he has made
a disgusted attempt to enact his conception of her masochistic fantasies. 

*       The metaphysical "documentary" What the Bleep Do We Know!? featured
a bridesmaid who is shown subconsciously transmitting the message "Make me
suffer please!" to the wedding-guests. 

*       The 2001 Japanese movie Koroshiya 1 (released with subtitles as Ichi
the Killer) follows 2 main characters, Kakihara and Ichi. Kakihara is an
extreme sado-masochist who has a taste for pain and humiliation, while also
having a taste of delivering pain and humiliation. Kakihara is looking for
the extreme sadist who will grant him his wish of ultimate masochistic
release even if it results in his death. (In fact he hopes it does) 

*       A 2002 movie, Secretary, directed by Steven Shainberg, explores the
relationship between a masochistic secretary and her dominant, sadistic
employer. 

*       The TV drama Queer as Folk includes elements of S&M. 

*       The characters of Dr. Phoebus Farb in the 1960 black comedy The
Little Shop of Horrors and Orin Scrivello, DDS in the musical stage
adaptation of the same title are comically sadistic figures. 

*       Several pirates, outlaws, and slave-drivers in Brian Jacques'
Redwall series are described as cowards who enjoy inflicting pain on weaker
creatures-- only to be slain, often by a hero whom they had underestimated. 

*       A character in Anne Bishop's trilogy, the Black Jewels Trilogy, is
called Daemon Sadi and nicknamed "The Sadist" for his cruelty towards women
(who used him as a personal prostitute). 

*       In Paulo Coelho's novel Eleven Minutes the main character, Maria,
experiments with sadomasochism, and her partner has studied the topic
thoroughly. 

*       In The New Adventures of Old Christine, Christine comes in her ex's
apartment to say she was told that he was bribed into a date. He replies
"So, we got married, we had a kid, we tried S&M, we went to Sea World". She
becomes so angry that she wants to throw him against the wall and slap him
as hard as possible. This is followed by a deep erotic stare, highlighting
their feelings still for one another. 

*       In the King of Fighters video game series, Ryuji Yamazaki has a move
called Sado-Masochism. 

*       In the game Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh, Curtis Craig goes to
an S&M club to visit his friend Therese. 

*       In the novels by Jacqueline Carey, the Kushiel's Legacy saga, the
main character Phedre is an extreme masochist for whom sex is a religious
experience. 

*       In Sorcerer Hunters, the manga and anime story, Chocolate Misu and
Tira Misu are Sadomasochistic dominatrices, and this story have great
influence of sadomasochism. 

*       In Darkstalkers, Marvel vs Capcom, and Capcom vs SNK video games,
Morrigan Aensland have inclination to Sadomasochism. 

*       In Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater the villain, Colonel Volgin, is a
sadist that beats the mole EVA for pleasure. She shows Naked Snake all her
scars from Colonel Volgin in a cut scene. 

*       Marvel Comics has recently created a character named Penance who can
only activate his powers by inflicting pain upon himself. 


[edit] Sadomasochism in popular culture


Sadomasochism has also become a popular theme for advertisers who seek to
appear "edgy" or unconventional. Anheuser-Busch, Inc., a mainstream brewer
of popular beers, including Bud Lite, now sponsors the Folsom Street Fair
and Diesel brand Jeans runs ads in major fashion magazines with an S&M
theme.


[edit] See also

 
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Wikiquote-logo-en.
png/50px-Wikiquote-logo-en.png> 
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: 
Sadism and masochism
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Sadism_and_masochism> 

*       BDSM 
*       Safewords 
*       Top (BDSM) 
*       Bottom (BDSM) 
*       Domination & submission (BDSM) 
*       Paraphilia 
*       Algolagnia 
*       Autosadism 
*       Torture 
*       Rough sex 
*       Nexus Books 
*       Black Lace 


[edit] External links


*       The Eulenspiegel Society[1] <http://www.tes.org> , founded in New
York City in 1971 is the oldest SM support group in the US. 
*       The Society of Janus[2] <http://www.soj.org> , founded in San
Francisco, California in 1974 is the second oldest SM support group in the
US. 
*       [3] <http://www.geocities.com/albrechtbecker/> , Sadomasochistic
photographs of Albrecht Becker, last German survivor of gay holocaust by
Hervé Joseph Lebrun, photographer. 
*       Becker le marqué, Quasimodo
<http://www.revue-quasimodo.org/PDFs/7%20-%20Becker%20Albrecht%20Tatouage%20
.pdf>  


[edit] Further reading


*       Phillips, Anita (1998). A Defense of Masochism. ISBN 0-312-19258-4. 

v • d • e
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Paraphilia

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Andromimetophilia · Anesthesia fetishism · Aquaphilia · Autogynephilia ·
Balloon fetishism · Biastophilia · Blood fetish · Boot fetish · Breast
expansion fetish · Breast fetishism · Celebriphilia · Chronophilia · Clothed
female, naked male · Clothed male, naked female · Coprophilia · Crush fetish
· Dacryphilia · Dental braces fetishism · Diaper lover · Emetophilia ·
Endosomatophilia · Erotic asphyxiation · Erotic lactation · Exhibitionism ·
Fat fetishism · Faunoiphilia · Foot fetishism · Foreskin fetish ·
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fetishism · Glove fetishism · Gynemimetophilia · Hand fetish · Harpaxophilia
· Human animal roleplay · Hybristophilia · Hypnofetishism · Impregnation
fetish · Inflation fetishism · Insertion fantasy · Jacket fetishism · Jeans
fetishism · Katoptronophilia · Klismaphilia · Latex and PVC fetishism ·
Leather fetishism · Lift and carry · Macrophilia · Mask fetishism · Medical
fetishism · Microphilia · Mixophilia · Mixoscopia · Mysophilia · Navel
fetishism · Necrophilia · Nose fetishism · Panty fetishism · Pantyhose
fetishism · Paraphilic infantilism · Pedophilia · Plushophilia · Pregnancy
fetishism · Pyrophilia · Robot fetishism · Sadism and masochism ·
Saliromania · Schoolgirl uniform fetish · Scuba fetishism · Shoe fetishism ·
Silk/Satin fetishism · Smoking fetishism · Sneezing fetishism · Sock
fetishism · Somnophilia · Spandex fetishism · Spectrophilia · Spitting
fetishism · Statuephilia · Sthenolagnia · Stocking fetishism · Stuck
fetishism · Suit and tie fetishism · Teratophilia · Tickling fetishism ·
Tightlacing · Total enclosure · Trampling fetishism · Transformation fetish
· Transvestic fetishism · Trichophilia · Troilism · Uniform fetish ·
Urolagnia · Vorarephilia · Voyeurism · Wet and messy fetishism · Xenophily ·
Yiff · Zoophilia


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