Collective sadism spreads through emotional contagion playing on fear, anger, and excitement.

Crowds can shift their energy very quickly and can override personal values in seconds.

The need for belonging can push people into choices opposite to their authentic values.

The only thing more powerful than hate is love, along with healthy boundaries and compassionate communities.

Sadists are those people who take pleasure in the pain others experience. Although sadism has been recognized as a behavioral concern for over 100 years (Krafft-Ebing, 1898), Millon (2011) identified four distinct expressions of sadism, each driven by different psychological needs. Understanding these forms helps us recognize how cruelty shows up in everyday life and in broader social movements.

Spineless sadism is marked by insecurity, false bravado, and cowardice.

Tyrannical sadism is driven by the desire to use and abuse power.

Enforcing sadism is expressed by individuals who take pleasure enforcing punishment on those they feel “deserve” it.

Explosive sadism shows up in people whose cruelty erupts in unpredictable ways, and their fury can spill over everyone in their vicinity.

Is there a Normal Level of Sadism?

Not every spectator at a paramilitary operation or UFC match is a sadist, but many people do possess mild sadistic tendencies. The “everyday sadist” exhibits a willingness to go to some effort to cause suffering for another (Buckels et al., 2013). They may make jokes at others’ expense, intentionally humiliate others, set others up for failure, or simply take pleasure in others’ misfortune.

While many people think of sadism as an individual trait, today’s social climate shows that cruelty can also take shape collectively — amplified........

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