| The masochist regards the law as a punitive process and
therefore begins by having punishment inflicted upon himself; once he
has has undergone the punishment, he feels that he is allowed or indeed
commanded to experience the pleasure that the law was supposed to forbid.
The essence of masochistic humor lies in this,
that the very law which forbids the satisfaction of a desire under threat
of subsequent punishment is converted into one which demands the punishment
first and then orders that the satisfaction of the desire should necessarily
follow upon the punishment. |