[sphinx]

Sometimes they're angry because of a bad self-concept, which may be richly deserved. The pain of self-contempt is transmuted into anger, which is easier to accept than an admission of the conviction that one is in fact a miserable, contemptable wretch. In other words, the anger is misdirected self-contempt.

Envy and resentment are probably at the top of the list. A national party must of necessity be a broad coalition, but resentment probably comes closer to being a common denominator for the dems than any other single factor.

[Savage Beast]

And sometime this basic, free-floating anger finds expression in sadism.

Sadism is a big component of "activism" and the "Liberal" mindset. Resentment, envy, righteous indignation--all are frequent manifestations of deep-seated, free-floating anger, often misdirected self-contempt--and all can find expression or release in sadism.