I'm loving the SQUICK system - it's great !
I completely agree about 120 days of Sodom - it contains some of the nastiest stuff I have ever laid my eyes on. But I only read an excerpt , so I can't really judge.
But " Philosophy in the Bedroom" is one of his "prettier" tales. I think that a story of Eugenie being deflowered and perverted reads like a classic love story.
Although it is oficially in the snuff category because one of the characters is infected with syphilis purposefully and will die eventually. It is certainly a more subtle death penality than spitting or crucifying BDSM scene.
So it's really different. I doubt that Sade can singlehandedly turn people off BDSM. It really depends which one of his books people read first.
* Thanks to Curtis for an avatar compliment !