[Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Sadism

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by johndallman

It wasn’t a requirement in Stalin’s USSR or Hitler’s Germany, but it wasn’t a problem unless you showed it off or had very limited self-control.

Actually I don't think that's true. To qualify for Sadism, you have to pick targets your society considers "people", otherwise you just have an unpleasant hobby (likes to torture a particular kind of animal). If you are in the habit of tormented "real people", many of whom are on your side, any real government or organization is likely to kick you out, or at least demote you down to the bottom rungs. Cinematically Evil(TM) governments might be fine with that, but anything operating in reality will care at least a little bit about stuff like efficiency and internal morale and inspiring disloyalty in your subordinates.

[AlexanderHowl]

Yes, sadism can have negative effects on personnel beyond the toleration of the majority of organizations. Of course, psychological sadism can still be subtle enough to escape censure, depending on the period. Some stuff would be consider sexual harassment in the current period that would have been ignored a quarter century ago.