Sadism prevalence....and trolls

[DocM]

http://m.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/how-common-are-sadists

There may be more sadists lurking in our midst than we'd like to think, according to a new study from the University of British Columbia and the University of Texas at El Paso. After offering a group of college students the chance to play exterminator and kill live bugs, researchers found "acts of apparent cruelty" and evidence of "everyday sadism"?a less pathological variety of deriving pleasure from being cruel.

More than 70 psychology students participated in the study, which they thought was about "personality and tolerance for challenging jobs." (Interesting example of how female-dominated psychology classes are?women made up almost 73 percent of the sample.) They had to choose between four unpleasant tasks: killing bugs, helping the experimenter kill bugs, cleaning dirty toilets, or enduring an ice bath.

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The researchers suggest that sadism is perhaps more common than we normally think of it. Sure, there's crazy serial killer variety sadism, but it also might manifest itself more commonly in everyday life. Like, perhaps, on the internet.

The researchers are planning to expand their sadism research in the context of online trolling. "Trolling culture is unique in that it explicitly celebrates sadistic pleasure, or 'lulz,'" University of British Columbia psychologist Erin Buckels said in a press statement. Oh no, the lulz!

[Torolol]

in most case, like drugs addicts, it will escalate.

as junkies no longer affected with small dosages of drugs and carving for larger dosages,

so is the sadist, killing bugs will no longer satisfy them, they will want to express their sadistic tendency to larger target, and eventually to human target.

[francescob]

in most case, like drugs addicts, it will escalate.

as junkies no longer affected with small dosages of drugs and carving for larger dosages,

so is the sadist, killing bugs will no longer satisfy them, they will want to express their sadistic tendency to larger target, and eventually to human target.

Or maybe they'll just join the Mobile Infantry and find bigger bugs to kill?

[Albert]

perhaps it's darwin's 'survival of fittest' gone haywired when there isn't much 'survival' going on in this time and age.

[compl3x]

Or maybe they'll just join the Mobile Infantry and find bigger bugs to kill?

 

Do you want to live forever!?

 

perhaps it's darwin's 'survival of fittest' gone haywired when there isn't much 'survival' going on in this time and age.

 

 

Survival of the fittest isn't about being the most cruel, physically strong etc.

 

 

 

 Darwin meant it as a metaphor for "better adapted for immediate, local environment", not the common inference of "in the best physical shape".^[4] Hence, it is not a scientific description.^[5]

 

 

As for the article, could it be that people would rather kill a few bugs than put themselves to any inconvenience by having to clean toilets or the unpleasant act of having an ice bath?

[Growled Member]

It's bugs we are talking about, and that brings out the worse in all of us.