(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . What If... They Enjoy It? [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-09-06 This is going to be a hard thing to contemplate about our fellow human beings, but I think it’s come time to seriously question just how much suffering the MAGA percent of our society actually enjoys watching unfold from the comfort of their recliners on Fox every evening. During the Iraq War, when MAGA’s were just called the far right, we saw them support torture. During the Tea Party protests of Obama’s skin color we saw the right promote its most radicalized militia affiliated extremists to leadership positions, bringing the abortion bombing, FBI targeting domestic terrorist fringe into their ranks to speak for them, teach them, train them, and plot for them. The Proud Boys and other similar groups were the rebranded umbrella organizations birthed from these plans. This has culminated in a new reality where rightwing domestic terrorism isn’t just common but actually defended, legitimized, and even promoted as a legitimate reaction to our modern world by both the members and the leaders of the new alt-right. Put shortly, modern conservatives have been re-educated to embrace the most sadistic beliefs imaginable. During the Trump administration, we saw the right cheer the kidnapping and caging of unaccompanied immigrant children and the children of asylum seekers. We’ve seen them target trans children. We’ve seen them demean and condemn almost all young people for being “woke” (ie kind and thoughtful). We’ve seen them target teachers and call them groomers and pedophiles. It’s clear to anyone who’s paying attention that the far right hates our teachers and hates our children. Maybe it’s time to start asking some more serious questions about why we are where we are in America. I would like to propose an answer: A huge majority of rightwing Americans are now in fact extreme sadists. Rightwing culture has become little more than a sadist manufacturing machine, with the ultimate goal of desensitizing our culture to the neo-fascist autocratic ambitions of the wealthiest and most nihilistic forces on our planet. What they seem to call “lost masculinity” is in fact merely sadism. So what would it mean for such a large portion of our society to have been formed into sadists? There was at one point a psychiatric mental disorder diagnosis called sadistic personality disorder. It was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R) because psychiatrists (and more importantly public “safety” officials) were concerned it would be used in courts as a defense to legally excuse sadistic behavior. It wasn’t removed because it was a wrong-headed concept. It was removed so that we could continue to imprison people who may be better served by psychiatric institutionalization and treatment. So, what are the signposts of sadistic personality disorder? Sadistic personality disorder was defined by a pervasive pattern of egosyntonic sadistic behavior. Individuals possessing sadistic personalities tend to display recurrent aggression and cruel behavior.[2][3][4] People with this disorder will use violence and aggression in an attempt to control and dominate others. When others refuse to submit to their will, they will increase the level of violence they use. Many sadists will verbally and emotionally abuse others rather than physically, purposefully manipulating others through the use of fear or shaming and humiliating others. Some people with this disorder will not abuse others, but will instead display a preoccupation with violence.[5][6] This disorder was thought to be caused by childhood trauma or being raised in by a family where one spouse is abused. Sadistic personality disorder was considered more common in men than women.[7] Sound like any would-be god kings we know? And so, what are the diagnostic criteria? According to the DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria Sadistic personality disorder is defined by a pervasive pattern of sadistic and cruel behavior that begins in early adulthood. It was defined by four of the following. Has used physical cruelty or violence for the purpose of establishing dominance in a relationship (not merely to achieve some noninterpersonal goal, such as striking someone in order to rob him/her). Humiliates or demeans people in the presence of others. Has treated or disciplined someone under his/her control unusually harshly. Is amused by, or takes pleasure in, the psychological or physical suffering of others (including animals). Has lied for the purpose of harming or inflicting pain on others (not merely to achieve some other goal). Gets other people to do what he/she wants by frightening them (through intimidation or even terror). Restricts the autonomy of people with whom he or she has a close relationship, e.g., will not let spouse leave the house unaccompanied or permit teenage daughter to attend social functions. Is fascinated by violence, weapons, injury, or torture. If people can’t see that the list above very succinctly sums up all that’s really left of the conservative movement in 2024 (ie what we now call MAGA), then they simply haven’t been paying any attention in my opinion. In my view, the question every American should be asking themselves about mass shootings in our country, (including school shootings and just your average everyday “down the block” killing sprees) is what happens if about 30% of our society has been trained by modern rightwing fascists to actually enjoy them? And if so, what then? [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/9/6/2268353/-What-If-They-Enjoy-It?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/