It is an uncomfortable conversation to have. Often undermined by the trivial yet solidified feelings of taboo towards it. At the first glance of a closed mind I go back to paying no attention to the semantics of the naïve. My job isn't to convert you like this is some cult. But if you do ask the question, then all I can provide you are the manifestos of what it means to me.
The term masochism by itself is a very general term. There are a lot of ways it can be understood. Anything tedious that derives pleasure by the slightest means can be labelled as a masochistic action. And so, it is extremely important to know what is it that presses your buttons and what lets you go loose.
Think of it as the Ghost Pepper Challenge. I had a lot of fun doing that challenge. The person sitting on the next table had an extremely terrible experience. I think that is a really fitting metaphor. Just because I enjoy it doesn't mean everyone else does. On the other the glass of milk following the pepper is what some are looking for, and that too is masochism.
The entire fetish is solely based upon the carnal nature of the human body. The pain receptors of the body that tell our brains what is good what is bad and how to balance the both. The Ghost Pepper is a very good example since it is solely made to make us feel pain. Yet, we enjoy it. The brain realizes the hotness of the pepper as a nonthreatening kind of pain and reciprocates by flushing our system with endorphins and adrenaline and all the works.
When you take things a little further than just a pepper it simply gets a little more exciting. Most of us indulge in some sort of masochism. A little hairpulling, a little trash talking, a tiny bit of spit and spanks. They essentially are humiliating and maybe even painful, but oh, are they not so good?