Quote: Is it normal that the idea of being inflicted pain upon and being degraded appeals to a person but at the same time when it is actually happening the person in question might be wishing for anything else but the situation he/she is in currently?
I can read your question a lot of different ways so here is my answer
Be careful with the word 'normal', I think the community has taken care of that aspect of your question. The first time I read your question I wanted to check in and see if you are negotiating what you want and your limits are being respected. Sometimes we allow ourselves to be used for others pleasure a little more then we are actually comfortable with. If you are negotiating and discussing the kinds of play that you want. Then you are dealing with your feelings towards what is occurring in the moment and the best guidance I can give is to talk it out with your partner or others.
Quote: And then again when he/she looks back at it, the pain is what they find most arousing.
As for looking back and acknowledging enjoyment after the fact... I think that is something that many of do in other contexts. Hiking up a mountain, working way to hard but bonding with the people you are working with are examples of this for me, after the fact our minds eye is able to polish the experience. So seeing something as enjoyable after the fact is not that odd to me at all.
As long as you are enjoying the experience, and the process of your enjoyment, then everything is awesome.