Social Sadomasochism

Explains the subtle but pervasive aspects of sadomasochism that affect everyday relationships across our lives detailing when the power and control dynamics become neurotic and describing actions that can be taken to better individuals and improve society.For most people a whip-wielding leather-clad sexual subculture comes to mind when they hear the phrase sadomasochism. But as psychiatrist Martin Kantor explains in this book sadomasochism is generally about power control dominance and submission dynamics that are subtle and pervasive in all of our lives from home life to work life to social interactions including political arenas. The bottom line: sadomasochism is about the giving or receiving pleasure from the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation and both pain and pleasure can be purely emotional no sexual or physical context necessary. Kantor deconstructs sadomasochism to show us how it affects each of us consciously or not. He explains the life phases of sadomasochism the role early trauma plays in this self-defeating action when it reaches a neurotic level and the damage it does to individuals loved ones and society. This ground-breaking book will appeal to psychology students and researchers as well as general readers with an interest in psychology.