What is Gor?

The end of the institution of marriage is a necessary condition for the liberation of women.

"The Declaration of Feminism," November 1971

Since marriage constitutes slavery for women, it is clear that the women's movement must concentrate on attacking this institution. Freedom for women cannot be won without the abolition of marriage.

radical feminist leader Sheila Cronan

The institution of sexual intercourse is anti-feminist

Ti-Grace Atkinson "Amazon Odyssey" (p. 86), 1974

Being a housewife is an illegitimate profession... The choice to serve and be protected and plan towards being a family-maker is a choice that shouldn't be. The heart of radical feminism is to change that.

Vivian Gornick, feminist author, University of Illinois, "The Daily Illini," April 25, 1981

Welcome to Radical Feminism™

John F. Lange, Jr.

aka John Norman

Born Chicago, 1931
Philosophy Prof, Queens College, CUNY
Naturalist philosophy
Inspired by Nietzsche

Tarnsman of Gor

First published 1966
25 books by 1988, now 33
12 million copies sold
Argument by hyperbole

Gor

Sword-and-sandal Sci-Fi romance
Counter-Earth
Human transplants
Technology supressed
Many caricature cultures

Tarl Cabot

Goals of Gor

Espouse a sociological belief
Create a world in which to play
Sell lots of copies, make lots of money

Gorean Philosophy

(Crell edition)

Honor

"Flee," she said. "I am of the Warriors," I said. "But you may die," she said. "That is acknowledged in the codes," I said. ... "None would know if you betrayed the codes," she said. "I would know," I said, "and I am of the Warriors."

—Beasts of Gor, Page 340

The morality of slaves says, "You are equal to me; we are both the same"; the morality of masters says, "We are not equal; we are not the same; become equal to me; then we will be the same."

—Marauders of Gor, Page 9

c.f., Nietzsche

Do not ask the stones or the trees how to live, they can not tell you;... do not ask how to live, but, instead, proceed to do so.

—Marauders of Gor, Page 9

Community

Caste solidarity
Home Stone

Natural Order

Gor is a proudly male-dominant culture

Including female slavery

Evolutionary Psychology

Female slavery

2% of females on Gor are slaves

90% of characters are :-)

Data?

Joyal, C.C., Cossette, A., & Alpierre, V. (in press). "What exactly is an unusual sexual fantasy?" The Journal of Sexual Medicine.
cf, Sex and Psychology
1,516 Canadian Adults, 18-27

"Shifted bell curve"

The Gorean Community

Quick, to the Internet!

Silk & Steel

1996

Role Play Gor (RPG)

Schools of Gor

Simulation
Emulation
Inspiration
Justification

Simulation

Emulation

Inspiration

Justification

All have potential for
good and evil

The Story of Crell

"Within the circle of each man's sword, therein is each man a Ubar".

—Marauders of Gor, Page 10

Insert shayna here

Gor and Kink

Clash of cultures

Gor is not inherently misogynist.

It is inherently sexist.

(Differentiates on the basis of sex.)

Slavery of Gor

Free: Goreans
slaves: Surrendered mindset
Unowned slaves: Marketing

The Vector of Pleasure

—Zeb of Silk & Steel

A slave's purpose in life is to
make her master's life more pleasant.

Everything else is an implementation detail

I may be a slave but I'm not your slave [so piss off].

Gorean slaves are always slaves

So are Gorean slaves doormats?

’Vella,’ said I, ‘is a highly intelligent, complex woman.’ ‘Such make the best slaves,’ said Ibn Saran. ‘True,’ I said. Indeed, who would want to collar any other sort of woman? To take the most brilliant, the most imaginative, the most beautiful women, and put them at your feet, impassioned, helpless slaves is victory.”

—Tribesmen of Gor, page 127-128