Self-flagellation

[Jonn]

Where is the profit in self-flagellation?
What chemical reactions in the brain drives people to do it?
Perhaps it is simple a manifestation/malady of the blind evolutionary process, and it is pointless in giving this phenomenon serious consideration?

 

[Raggamuffin]

I'm rewatching Boardwalk Empire, and Nelson Van Alden practices it. Interesting character, as he's deeply religious, with a firm belief in pursuing criminals during the American Prohibition era, but his difficult upbringing has also created a monster within, and not only does he hurt himself as penance, he hurts many people in his pursuit of what he believes to be a Godly act.

Ed

 

[Jonn]

I'm rewatching Boardwalk Empire, and Nelson Van Alden practices it.

Is the character based on a real person?

 

[tree]

Nelson Van Alden - Wikipedia


The Real History of Boardwalk Empire.

 

[lunarious]

I saw a movie about a kid whom was slave eventually, in Korea, this kid had to take punishment or flagellation for his Masters son, because the masters son had to train Martial Arts and become General status achieving Mastery.

However when the Masters son failed in training, someone had to be punished, so someone had to take that punishment. The slave kid took that punishment. Because the Masters son couldn't have battle scars as "a Master" is ... higher. (edit) as a General couldn't technically have been beaten up and have scars.

 

[Judge]

Religious fervor in the pursuit of spiritual discipline. Not my jam, but whatever floats your boat...

"The main religions that practice self-flagellation include some branches of Christianity and Islam. The ritual has also been practiced among members of several Egyptian and Greco-Roman cults."

Self-flagellation - Wikipedia

 

[Outdated]

A quote from a Stephen Donaldson novel:

"There's no point doing that, son. The world will do it for you soon enough."

 

[Jonn]

Religious fervor in the pursuit of spiritual discipline. Not my jam, but whatever floats your boat...

"The main religions that practice self-flagellation include some branches of Christianity and Islam. The ritual has also been practiced among members of several Egyptian and Greco-Roman cults."

Self-flagellation - Wikipedia

Aren't all emotions simply the result of chemical reactions in the brain?

Our emotions are a series of chemical reactions within our brains, controlled by the complex cooperation of neurotransmitters and hormones. There are four main chemicals in our brains that play a significant role in our positive moods, which are serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin.

the chemistry behind emotions - Bing

Viewed on this level, isn't the validity/authenticity of emotional experiences rather insubstantial?

What gives emotion it's value?
What components, other than the chemicals involved, are influencing behaviour?
Why do some ppl align their emotional responses to certain loyalties/allegiances, while other do not?
How is it that there are dichotomies of responses for the same stimuli?

 

[Tom]

I have always thought it dum. Why would you want to hurt/injure yourself? But when you think about it it has occurred in many places and times around the world as a cultural practice. In our own time we have seen a sort of epidemic of self harming (ie. cutting) and some report a sense of relief afterwards. I can only relate it to a brief time of trying accupuncture for back pain, which was too painful too do as a therapy but did in act provide temporary pain relief for a time. It has and still is used for generating a sort of extreme religious/spiritual state. So now I think it 'complcated' and though I don't advise it for anyone, as there are safer approved medical options I don't think people are simple dumb for doing it anymore. I see it more as a potentially dangerous self medication practice or extreme trance inducing practice which is definately dangerous.

 

[Jonn]

I have always thought it dum. Why would you want to hurt/injure yourself? But when you think about it it has occurred in many places and times around the world as a cultural practice.

It shows how primitive the human psyche is.
Damn the evolutionary process.

In our own time we have seen a sort of epidemic of self harming (ie. cutting) and some report a sense of relief afterwards.

I knew someone who did cutting.
She said:
"The physical pain takes away from the emotional/psychological one."
I don't get it, myself, but it takes all kinds. <shrug>