The Correlations Between Sadomasochism and
Working in Retail
Working in Retail
In a three year investigation conducted by our researchers, select
test subjects that are classified as “Employees” submitted themselves
to various scenarios common in the work environment typically referred
to as “retail.” Results show that a tendency towards sadomasochistic
behaviors, whether latent or active, are found in at least 85% of all
test subjects.
Sadomasochism is defined as the collective group of sadism and masochism, sadism being the gratification in the infliction of pain or humiliation upon another person and masochism being the gratification from receiving the infliction of pain or humiliation.
These sadomasochistic behaviors are the common reaction to unreasonable, over-demanding, or childish actions of the catalyst to the "Retail" environment known in the field as "Customers." Customers, while often dreaded and avoided, are unfortunately a required element in the retail environment. Without these "Customers" the retail environment would collapse from a lack of "Sales." Sales are the purpose for the customer's frequency in habitation of the retail environment and are simultaneously a primary cause for their displeasure and annoyance, creating a "Negative Customer Reaction" or NCR. The study found that many of the NCR's were due to the customers own ignorance or arrogance yet was deflected upon the employees as being the fault of a employee most often having no control or interaction with the sale.
These customers will, on rare occasion, fail to cause a sadomasochistic reaction in a employee. These positive customer interactions (PCR's) are hailed as a beacon of light in a dark, endless tunnel. These rare encounters are coveted by the employees yet are usually overshadowed by the more common NCR.In many cases a employee considered an encounter with a customer that resulted in a neutral reaction warranted cause to log it as a PCR. Therefore the study found that the only qualification of a PCR was the lack of a NCR. In most circumstances any interaction between a employee and a customer logged as a NCR and resulted in some level of sadomasochistic behavior on behalf of the employee. These reactions ranged between an apparent appreciation for the NCR in an effort to encourage the customers return, a condition known as "The Customer is Always Right" (a masochistic reaction). And unbridled abuse of the customer with the intent to cause the customer to realize their error in calculation or as revenge towards the customer for unnecessary behavior (a sadistic reaction). While both sadistic and masochistic tendencies were found in the test subjects, a far greater group more frequently subjected themselves towards the masochistic acts than sadistic.
In the lesser category of the sadistic tendencies, these actions were frequently carried out in a secretive manner, so as to ensure the victim of the sadistic act, the customer, would remain unaware. To make known to the customer that a sadistic action had been taken out on them would most likely result in a encounter between the employee and superior sadist known as "Management." Although the behavior of the management is often seen as that of a superior sadist, and avoided by the employees, their actions are frequently disregarded and often mocked by the employees once the management has left the area. The study revealed that the superior level of sadism found in management was frequently disillusioned by the management and customers and had no bearing on reality. In several of the study encounters the employee, thought of as the inferior subject, knew as much or sometimes more than the management. This knowledge was frequently discredited by both customer and management simply on the basis of perceived superiority. Information received by the customer would more likely be deemed credible if given by a subject in a management position rather than a employee position even if the same information was provided to the customer by both subjects.
Masochistic
tendencies are far more prevalent in the retail field and are nearly a
requirement for any employee intending to remain in the study for any
extended length of time. Many of the employees did not openly admit to
their masochistic preferences, stating that such behavior was
unfavorable and was therefor determined to be a latent trait in the
test subject. The latent trait appeared to be far more common and
became more noticeable as the test subjects repeatedly submitted
themselves to negative customer behavior yet willingly remained in the
case study. The study submitted the employees to increasingly higher
levels of abuse by the customer, starting with a minimal NCR over a
misunderstanding of a sale, "Project Iwannitfree" and escalating to the
ultimate NCR simply known to this study as "Hazmat in the Fitting
Room."
It was the intention of the case study conductors to preform a full five year study on the sadomasochistic effects on the employee test subjects. However, after a significant percentage of test subjects were subsequently admitted to various mental health facilities the study was prematurely terminated for the safety and well being of the remaining subjects. Strangely many of the remaining subjects chose to remain in the case study well past it's run time, reinforcing the conclusion of a strong sadomasochistic tendency in employees submitted to the retail environment.
Sadomasochism is defined as the collective group of sadism and masochism, sadism being the gratification in the infliction of pain or humiliation upon another person and masochism being the gratification from receiving the infliction of pain or humiliation.
These sadomasochistic behaviors are the common reaction to unreasonable, over-demanding, or childish actions of the catalyst to the "Retail" environment known in the field as "Customers." Customers, while often dreaded and avoided, are unfortunately a required element in the retail environment. Without these "Customers" the retail environment would collapse from a lack of "Sales." Sales are the purpose for the customer's frequency in habitation of the retail environment and are simultaneously a primary cause for their displeasure and annoyance, creating a "Negative Customer Reaction" or NCR. The study found that many of the NCR's were due to the customers own ignorance or arrogance yet was deflected upon the employees as being the fault of a employee most often having no control or interaction with the sale.
These customers will, on rare occasion, fail to cause a sadomasochistic reaction in a employee. These positive customer interactions (PCR's) are hailed as a beacon of light in a dark, endless tunnel. These rare encounters are coveted by the employees yet are usually overshadowed by the more common NCR.In many cases a employee considered an encounter with a customer that resulted in a neutral reaction warranted cause to log it as a PCR. Therefore the study found that the only qualification of a PCR was the lack of a NCR. In most circumstances any interaction between a employee and a customer logged as a NCR and resulted in some level of sadomasochistic behavior on behalf of the employee. These reactions ranged between an apparent appreciation for the NCR in an effort to encourage the customers return, a condition known as "The Customer is Always Right" (a masochistic reaction). And unbridled abuse of the customer with the intent to cause the customer to realize their error in calculation or as revenge towards the customer for unnecessary behavior (a sadistic reaction). While both sadistic and masochistic tendencies were found in the test subjects, a far greater group more frequently subjected themselves towards the masochistic acts than sadistic.
In the lesser category of the sadistic tendencies, these actions were frequently carried out in a secretive manner, so as to ensure the victim of the sadistic act, the customer, would remain unaware. To make known to the customer that a sadistic action had been taken out on them would most likely result in a encounter between the employee and superior sadist known as "Management." Although the behavior of the management is often seen as that of a superior sadist, and avoided by the employees, their actions are frequently disregarded and often mocked by the employees once the management has left the area. The study revealed that the superior level of sadism found in management was frequently disillusioned by the management and customers and had no bearing on reality. In several of the study encounters the employee, thought of as the inferior subject, knew as much or sometimes more than the management. This knowledge was frequently discredited by both customer and management simply on the basis of perceived superiority. Information received by the customer would more likely be deemed credible if given by a subject in a management position rather than a employee position even if the same information was provided to the customer by both subjects.
It was the intention of the case study conductors to preform a full five year study on the sadomasochistic effects on the employee test subjects. However, after a significant percentage of test subjects were subsequently admitted to various mental health facilities the study was prematurely terminated for the safety and well being of the remaining subjects. Strangely many of the remaining subjects chose to remain in the case study well past it's run time, reinforcing the conclusion of a strong sadomasochistic tendency in employees submitted to the retail environment.
