Sadomasochism of Everyday Life: Why We Hurt Ourselves -- & Others -- & How to Stop

Why do we torture ourselves in so many areas of everyday life? Why do we work out to the point of exhaustion & pain? Why do women put up with men who abuse them (& men put up with women who abuse them)? Why do workers endure terrible bosses? Why do we subject ourselves to terrible service at the bank & in restaurants? Ross explains why we tolerate these & other situations that cause us pain & suffering & shows how people fall into destructive patterns of behavior that are mutually reinforcing. Using case studies, he uncovers the effects of sadomasochism in our culture. He exposes the deeper psychological roots of these rituals of self-torture, pointing the reader toward solutions for these self-destructive patterns.