ABSTRACT
Lacan too argues that sadism and masochism are intimately related, both being related to the invocatory drive (which he also calls the ‘sado-masochistic drive’; S11, 183). Both the masochist and the sadist locate themselves as the object of the invocatory drive, the voice. However, whereas Freud argues that sadism is primary, Lacan argues that masochism is primary, and sadism is derived from it: ‘sadism is merely the disavowal of masochism’ (S11, 186). Thus, whereas the masochist prefers to experience the pain of existence in his own body, the sadist rejects this pain and forces the Other to bear it (Ec, 778).
