[redgolum]

De Sade is interesting, in that he shows what a depraved mind with little restraint can do. Gives the lie to anyone who believes man is basically good.

[goldstategop]

De Sade was a product of the Enlightenment who pushed things to an extreme. The world of his novels are populated by people who do unspeakable things because they are devoid of moral absolutes or laws. In some respects he is the forerunner of anarchism in that for him the individual outranks society and the state and the ideal state of human affairs would be a world in every one could do, in the absence of restraints save that peculiar to his own nature, as he pleased.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")