Sadism

[Risen Tree]

What does everyone think about the act of delighting in the suffering of other human beings? Humorous? Sick and disgusting? Not that big a deal? Somewhere in the middle?

 

[USincognito]

I personally find all BD/SM, apart from playful spanks to the rear, to be either distateful or disgusting and think it to usally be the result of some trauma or abuse on the part of the individual participants.

I find non-sexual sadism to be an indication of mental illness. Taking pleasure in dishing out cruelty isn't simply inhumane... it's unhuman.

 

[charmtrap]

What does everyone think about the act of delighting in the suffering of other human beings? Humorous? Sick and disgusting? Not that big a deal? Somewhere in the middle?

Somewhere in the middle. Personally, I find it bizarre and not to my taste. Assuming all parties are consenting, however, there's no moral problem with it. Different strokes (in this case literally!)

 

[seebs]

It depends on what you mean. Do you mean delight in suffering, or delight in pain? They are not necessarily the same thing. It can get a lot more complicated than that, too.

Delight in suffering is pretty much definitionally evil. Delight in pain is harder to describe. What if you only like pain when the recipient likes it? That's a very weird case. I dunno. I think it sounds unhealthy, but... Lots of things are unhealthy.

 

[Why?]

hmm... I'd have to say that if the people participating (in BDSM) are in a committed relationship (such as marriage or the equivalent) then that's their choice. I see nothing wrong with it as long as both people are consenting.

 

[USincognito]

Since my post mentioning BD/SM fell second I'd like to clarify my comments and ask Rising Tree for a further clarification based on them.

I only mentioned consentual sexual sadism because I wanted to point out that sometime the infliction/enjoyment of pain isn't part of a sociopathy, but - and this is just IMO - likely a deviancy resultant from some past abuse or trauma... but not necessarily a harmful or totally degenerate activity.

I think Rising Tree was primarily focused (here's my request for further clarification) on sadism like the sort exhibited by hyper-brutal prison guards, murderers who take their time killing, or people who torture animals. Those people, as I mentioned above in post #2 are definately mentally sick people who need social sanction.

Brutality is never fun or funny. It's sick behavior.

 

[Risen Tree]

It depends on what you mean. Do you mean delight in suffering, or delight in pain? They are not necessarily the same thing. It can get a lot more complicated than that, too.

Also, would it make a difference if the person enjoying the suffering--yes, suffering--were having a direct hand in it or not?

Delight in suffering is pretty much definitionally evil. Delight in pain is harder to describe. What if you only like pain when the recipient likes it? That's a very weird case. I dunno. I think it sounds unhealthy, but... Lots of things are unhealthy.

Yes, and I'm starting to see the distinction now. I think as long as the target can immediately recover from the physical or emotional blow, it's alright.

 

[Risen Tree]

Since my post mentioning BD/SM fell second I'd like to clarify my comments and ask Rising Tree for a further clarification based on them.

I only mentioned consentual sexual sadism because I wanted to point out that sometime the infliction/enjoyment of pain isn't part of a sociopathy, but - and this is just IMO - likely a deviancy resultant from some past abuse or trauma... but not necessarily a harmful or totally degenerate activity.

Primarily non-sexual sadism, although I could see SM being a part of this.

I think Rising Tree was primarily focused (here's my request for further clarification) on sadism like the sort exhibited by hyper-brutal prison guards, murderers who take their time killing, or people who torture animals. Those people, as I mentioned above in post #2 are definately mentally sick people who need social sanction.

Brutality is never fun or funny. It's sick behavior.

Well, those are extreme examples, but yes that is sick behavior. What about something milder, such as somebody relentlessly teasing somebody who emotionally can't handle it?

 

[kdet]

What does everyone think about the act of delighting in the suffering of other human beings? Humorous? Sick and disgusting? Not that big a deal? Somewhere in the middle?

Some questions make you wonder why they need to be asked at all. Would Jesus want anyone to delight in the suffering of others? Whether in a sexual content or not I find it difficult to believe that God would condone such actions.

 

[Why?]

P What about something milder, such as somebody relentlessly teasing somebody who emotionally can't handle it?

Still sick. Although this does happen very frequently, especially among younger people. Part of the reason there are so many teenage suicides.

 

[TrueQ]

Under normal circumstance, I love to watch enemies suffer, but friends and strangers I prefer seeing in good spirits and safe. As for people who get in to hurting people in a sexual way, I don't understand them, but I don't mind so long as they're doing it to people who like being hurt, who I also don't understand.

 

[Ave Maria]

Sadism is very immoral in my opinion. Why would God want us to delight in the suffering of someone else???

 

[Nexus`]

In this topic, there are 2 very distinct issues being thrown into one term, and thus both being condemn and called deviant and all that other BS.

Sadism, delighting in the suffering of someone else, is wrong. Disturbed and twisted. Personally, I am one of those ppl who are fascinated with gore. I frequent certain websites that I can't post links to here. I watch snuff movies, and have downloaded dozens. I watch them, and look at these pictures (typically leaked crime scene photos) because I am fascinated with this type of stuff, not because I delight in their suffering. Actually, I'm rather impartial to their suffering, not feeling one way or the other. Desenitization was one of the goals I had when I started looking at these things.

The other issue, BDSM (Bondage/Domination/Sado-Masochism) is generally a sexual fetish, one which I prescribe to. I enjoy pain. I relish pain. And this is not because I was abused, or raped, or some other tramatic BS. I don't why I like it, but I do.

There is nothing wrong with consensual BDSM. Nothing.

 

[kdet]

In this topic, there are 2 very distinct issues being thrown into one term, and thus both being condemn and called deviant and all that other BS.

Sadism, delighting in the suffering of someone else, is wrong. Disturbed and twisted. Personally, I am one of those ppl who are fascinated with gore. I frequent certain websites that I can't post links to here. I watch snuff movies, and have downloaded dozens. I watch them, and look at these pictures (typically leaked crime scene photos) because I am fascinated with this type of stuff, not because I delight in their suffering. Actually, I'm rather impartial to their suffering, not feeling one way or the other. Desenitization was one of the goals I had when I started looking at these things.

The other issue, BDSM (Bondage/Domination/Sado-Masochism) is generally a sexual fetish, one which I prescribe to. I enjoy pain. I relish pain. And this is not because I was abused, or raped, or some other tramatic BS. I don't why I like it, but I do.

There is nothing wrong with consensual BDSM. Nothing.

You've put a lot of personal information in this post, as such you have opened yourself up to comments about what you have shared. I for one am saddened by the fact that you would seek out things like snuff films. That you sought to teach yourself to be desentized to violence, if anything we should never want to be desentized to any suffering. I will share with you that you will be in my prayers tonight because even though I do not know you personally except for what you have shared here, God knows all.
As for the topic, whether or not I give you permission to hurt or degrade me is not the issue, the issue is should you do so? I may ask you to kill me but I doubt God would excuse you for doing so just because I requested it.

 

[USincognito]

Well, those are extreme examples, but yes that is sick behavior. What about something milder, such as somebody relentlessly teasing somebody who emotionally can't handle it?

Ah, gotcha. There's an evolutionary basis in this with the fact that we are social animals and as such have entered into a collective survival agreement as a species. The down side of this fact is that we want to keep the weaker, less reproductively adventageous members of our species cowed and separated.

Of course there's one thing our evolution didn't plan for - civilization - where being a nerd (or whatever) is actually more adventagous for reproductive success than being a lunkhead. Thus we have the battle of the strong (football players) and those traditionally reproductively adventagous picking on the weak (chess club) who are reproductively adventageous in a modern technological society.

And then there's the Internet. I'm not brillant, but I can formulate a cogent thought and there have been times in the past where I have picked on those less emotionally stable than myself (and I'm not that stable) and derived pleasure from posting the nastiest, hurtful flames I could towards them. I think it goes back to the evolutionary reasons I mentioned above, but instead of testosterones effect on the muscles, I think it's testosterones effect on the brain.

 

[cauchy3]

[nooff]

 

[Acquired Tastes]

I think sadism is immoral, and also very sick. Even if it's consenting. This basically boils down to WWJD? I don't think Jesus would condone delighting in the pain or suffering of others, consentual or not. Especially considering the pain and suffering He went through to save us from our sins.