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

  1. Espouse a sociological belief
  2. Create a world in which to play
  3. 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"

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

The GoPHP5 Project
"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

Serves

Positions

The Global Community

Chicago

The Home Stone of Chicago

?

- Feminism of the 60s - Early history of authorship (argument by hyperbole, backlash) - Setting and plot (ish) - Key tenants (editorial warning) -- (Honor, community/Home Stone, Responsibility, male leadership) -- "Come up to my level, then we will be equal" -- "I would know" -- "Do not ask the rocks and trees how to live" - Arguments -- Evoluationary psychology -- Shifted bell curves -- Survey data from Psychology of Sex... - Community -- Little pre-Internet -- Silk & Steel, circa 1996? -- RP - Schools of Gor -- Simulation -- Emulation -- Inspiration -- Justification -- All can be good or bad - Not part of BDSM, although obvious overlap - 2001: The Crell - shayna: The movie - Culture -- (Water) -- "Free" vs unowned slave vs slave -- "Master" and service to al - Slave's POV (shayna) - More culture -- 3rd person -- "Serves" -- Formal serve -- Poses (nadu, tower, display, bracelets, bara, submission) - Chicago Gor - 2012 -- Home Stone -- 5 citizens, including 2.5 expats. :-( --