The tie between sadomasochism and Christianity links both to American exceptionalism and to Nietzsche--nice, Christopher! --jks
>
>Very good. One kind of analysis of this kind of psychological phenomenon
>calls it "ressentiment." There is another in Lynn Chancer's SADOMASOCHISM
>IN
>EVERYDAY LIFE: THE DYNAMICS OF POWER AND POWERLESSNESS, a good book that
>could have done with better editing. Sadomasochism is a key
>mass-psychological characteristic of christianity, which, as we know is
>more
>prevalent in the United States than in other advanced countries. This is
>part
>of the psychological component of American exceptionalism.
>
>Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema
>
>s-t-t at juno.com wrote:
>
> > Justin Schwartz writes:
> >
> > > I agree that we Americans are retributivist and that overpunishment
> > > is currently politically popular. But I don't see any necessity to
> > this. I
> > > think it is a feature of a number of peculiar things about American
> > > society--our Puritan heritage, economic uncertainty, racism, etc.
> >
> > Could it also be jealousy? Not that I want to sound nuts, but I've
>often
> > wondered if the most vociferous law & order vultures' outrage stems from
> > the fact that a criminal can commit acts they resent being denied the
> > freedom to engage in. And to rationalize this they use the cry of "eye
> > for eye" and righteousness to veil their own sadism. Any thoughts?
> >
> > -- Shane
> >
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>
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