I'm glad to finally shed some light on the difference between those of us who consider themselves "Spankos" and those that consider themselves sadists or masochists. The average public will normally refuse to see the line drawn between these. They're confused, and think there's no difference between the types.

Why is everyone so confused about the differences between spankos and sadomasochists?

Well, a lot of spankos and sadomasochists don't know the difference between each other. So don't give the public such a hard time. There are spankos that ARE sadomasochists, and vice-versa. Still, spankos aren't completely absorbed into the sadomasochist group—they are not merely a "subgenre".

What are a sadist and a masochist?

Here's my advice to make this subject less confusing. Never use Wikipedia—it's going to tell you these definitions: Ol' Wiki says: Sadism refers to sexual or non-sexual gratification in the infliction of pain or humiliation upon another person. Masochism refers to sexual or non-sexual gratification from receiving the infliction of pain or humiliation.

I think if you were going to use this passage to define a sadomasochist, then we were all a sadist at one point or the other, that's for sure. I mean, who hasn't wanted your rival to be humiliated? Haven't you ever wanted to punch someone in the face? Wouldn't that make you feel "gratified"?

I'm not saying this is the clinical term—this is just where spankos tend to draw the line: Sadists are people who enjoy watching other people suffer.

Some of them spank—and they tend to be really cruel spankers too. But they do not represent anywhere NEAR the majority of spankos, and certainly not anyone who practices an appropriate DD relationship. There's an element of control that normally goes on—normally spankers like being in control and spankees like having them in control. But DD folk don't like seeing the other one suffer—their ultimate goal is to make their partner stronger and happier.

Masochists are people that enjoy pain. Normally there's specific types, but where the line is drawn again is people that get sexual gratification—or just plain like—pain and humiliation by itself. It turns them on. I've heard of masochists getting turned on from the pain from their braces. I've also heard of a condition where the pleasure center in most masochists' brain actually becomes extremely active while enduring pain. It's sort of an interesting physical disorder.

By the way, I'm not talking about the self-defacing masochists that simply make their lives a living hell because their psychological state has trouble whenever they feel happy. Yes, they're out there. And there might be a spanko or two in the crowd, but there's always a few weirdos.

Okay—then what gratifies a spanker if not causing pain and what gratifies a spankee if it's not receiving pain?

Not all spankos include all of their reasons, but there are different strokes for different folks that don't include the aspect of suffering, or the physical elation that occurs in some during pain.

I know I'm missing a 1000+ reasons. Why are YOU a spanko? Write a comment and let us know!