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Hey this is Joshua Hwang with another 90 Seconds to Culture podcast

Sadism and masochism (S&M): Our pain is my pleasure

When you hear about sadism and masochism (or S&M), what do you think about? Personally, I associate it with really rough sexual play, where a woman in leather is whipping a man with ball-gag in mouth. And while this is encompassed in the meaning of S&M, the definitions are broader than this.

Sadism describes taking joy in the pain of others, while masochism describes taking joy in your own pain. In both cases, this may or may not be sexual.

Interestingly, the term sadism doesn’t come from some Latin word meaning self-pain, but from author and French aristocrat Marquis de Sade, who wrote sexually graphic novels covering sadomasochism, rape, bestiality (sex with animals), and necrophilia (sex with dead bodies).

While the term masochism also comes from another writer, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch whose most well known work, Venus in Furs, told of a man who desired to be treated as a slave and increasingly degraded by a woman.

The contemporary significance of sadism and masochism is severalfold. First, their practice in popular or subculture today, and its spread through pop culture media. Also of increasing discussion is whether wanting to inflict or receive pain implies something about dominance in society. This is definitely one of my favourite conversation topics, and I invite your discussion through the contact form.