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The Value of a Woman – Part twoNyre January 2007
So I ask you, what do you think a woman is worth?
Last month I asked readers of the Voice to send me an opinion about what they think a woman is worth, and in doing so I wanted to see how readers felt about this question. Let me begin with several of the responses I received. Also, I want to take a moment and thank each of you who did take time to write me a message; you responded and fulfilled your part of the bargain. Thank you. I found the answers interesting, and oddly cynical. I leave you to think on them.
Opinions of Cost
“So to this one the cost Master has paid for this slave
“It's just nearly impossible to think of a monetary value on myself. Which enables love, trust and loyalty to thrive. If a man can create a relationship where the female will acknowledge herself as his property in our society, he would do so simply by
“As a free woman, I don’t even know why I write you on this issue but very few men could pay for my value. The majority of men online, and off are weak.
“I think the question you ask sickens me, and you have no right to ask it.”
“Come on over Nyre, I will show you what you cost.”
This discussion has placed a lot personal thoughtfulness on my plate because of it’s enormity, and convolution. Its ironic that a simple joke inspired me to turn this process into a much larger project then I could have ever imagined, and in writing it has changed my perspective on women and their value. I have looked at different research material from the net, perspective opinion, and the consequences of today’s market of selling and using women in the matter of assessment for currency. Above in opinion we have the time and training factor, and character of man. We also have to examine that some women believe they are above cost, or price and that as a woman myself I have no right to determine or even ask what that figure might be. Then of course we have a typical Alpha male who knows actions speak louder then long drawn out conversation. I was not offended at his offer I was flattered. Gorean women are vain and enjoy the flirting of wills with strong men, make no mistake there.
I digress however from the topic at hand, it is an undisputed fact that in today’s times the sale of a woman would be illegal. I am aware of the implications, and legal wrangling that would unfold if those of Gorean Philosophy attempted such transactions. Those types of sales were not the point of my trying to find out the cost or value of a female. I sought to know what if any currency could be used for my own knowledge, and form an interesting read. Gorean women, whether free or slave are of value to those who own, or love them in companionship. Wars, arranged marriage, transaction of self, Gorean Mythology, financial gains, prizes, and treasures are all described below by Norman himself. Consistently Norman shows easily in black and white he had “no” intention of a woman-hating group that uses cult measures to transform relationships between men and women. Rather, by parable, Norman used a rather unique way to define humanity and its more simplistic needs. The easy nature and smooth dialect of Norman describing the breath taking beauty of the women he created, and how the men who loved them etched his stories with clarity few storytellers have mastered. I believe, if you examine closely, Norman himself determined the cost of women within his stories of Gor.
"Goreans, in their simplistic fashion, often contend, categorically, that man is naturally free and woman is naturally slave. But even for them the issues are more complex than these simple formulations would suggest. For example, there is no higher person, nor one more respected, than the Gorean free woman." -Hunters, p311
“Let me sell myself!” she wept.
“But remember,” he said, smiling, “it is slaves who are assessed and have prices. Free women are priceless.”
“The pledged companions, the Lady Sabina of Fortress of Saphronicus and Thandar of Ti, of the Four Cities of Saleria, of the Salerian Confederation, had, as yet, according to Eta, never laid eyes on one another, the matter of their match having been arranged between their respective fathers, as is not uncommon in Gorean custom. The match had been initiated at the behest of Kleomenes, who was interested in negotiating a commercial and political alliance with the Salarian Confederation.
“In Gorean mythology it is said that there was once a war between men and women and that the women lost, and that the Priest-Kings, not wishing the women to be killed, made them beautiful, but as the price of this gift decreed that they, and their daughters, to the end of time, would be the slaves of men.”
“Swords are often drawn on Gor over women, and particularly over lovely slaves. Women are prizes, perfections and treasures. It is no wonder that men fight over them with ferocity. Wars have been fought to recover a stolen slave.”
Further, I want women reading this month to examine the examples below of famous women who changed the face of our earth. Cost and value can only be expressed with action. If we sit and watch the world go on without us then truly our self “depreciation” will succeed. It has always been my opinion that intelligence, strength, sacrifice, vulnerability, expression of sexual desire, and the absolute freedom in being a woman has raised our value and appeal of what we are to men. Of course if you are not interested in relationships, or men this thought process would mean nothing to you. There is only one life to be lived and in that life it is our personal responsibility to impact those around us maybe its children, maybe its family, or close friends, or all three that we have taken as our own personal achievement.
If it is not enough for you just to “be” anymore then look below at some amazing examples of the potential in women. Don’t wait until you are sitting in an empty house staring at divorce paper work wondering what you could of done, might of done.
Cleopatra -Egyptian queen, famous in history and drama, who was the lover of Julius Caesar and later the wife of Mark Antony -She became queen on the death of her father, Ptolemy XII, in 51 BC, ruling successively with her two brothers Ptolemy XIII (51–47) and Ptolemy XIV (47–44) and her son Ptolemy XV Caesar (44–30) -After the Roman armies of Octavian (the future emperor Augustus) defeated their combined forces, Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide, and Egypt fell under Roman domination -Her ambition no less than her charm actively influenced Roman politics at a crucial period, and she came to represent, as did no other woman of antiquity, the prototype of the romantic femme fatale
There are very few people who do not know this story and this woman’s name in our history of the world. Amazing that in the year 2006 she still has movies, mini series, artwork, poetry still buzzing her name. In true Cleopatra style I think she would be pleased with this.
Marie Currie -Polish-born French physicist famous for her work on radioactivity and twice a winner of the Nobel Prize -With Henri Becquerel and her husband, Pierre Curie, she was awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics -She was then sole winner of the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry -She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
I can’t imagine that this woman thought about what it would be like to be the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. Which in our world is an honour a very few select can add to their resume. Rather she was busy trying to develop information in regards to her work.
Princess Diana -Her death and funeral produced unprecedented expressions of public mourning, testifying to her enormous hold on the British national psyche -Her life, and death, polarized national feeling about the existing system of monarchy (and in a sense about the British identity), which appeared antiquated and unfeeling in a populist age of media celebrity in which Diana herself was a central figure.
Many women as little girls want to be a Princess and marry their Prince one day. The Lady Diana Spencer actually did it. Besides the major media of her antics, and liaisons while in residence of the Royals this woman was found in AIDS wards of hospitals holding hands with those dying with scabs on their bodies. She listened and walked a bit with this inflicting disease and made it newsworthy. She was one of the first major figureheads in the media to talk about landmines that are still embedded all over Europe where children today still get their body parts blown off by simply playing in fields. Did she impact? You bet she did.
Eleanor of Aquitaine -Queen consort of both Louis VII of France (1137–52) and Henry II of England (1152–1204) and mother of Richard I (the Lion-Heart) and John of England -She was perhaps the most powerful woman in 12th-century Europe.
So much for women being helpless in the dark ages.
Elizabeth II -In full Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, officially Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith -She is known to favour simplicity in court life and is also known to take a serious and informed interest in government business, aside from the traditional and ceremonial duties -Privately she has become a keen horsewoman; she keeps racehorses, frequently attends races, and periodically visits the Kentucky stud farms in the United States -Her financial and property holdings have made her one of the world's richest women Ella Fitzgerald -American singer who became world famous for the wide range and rare sweetness of her voice. She became an international legend during a career that spanned some six decades.
Indira Gandhi -politician who served as prime minister of India for three consecutive terms (1966–77) and a fourth term (1980–84). -She was assassinated by Sikh extremists
Jane Goodall -British ethologist, known for her exceptionally detailed and long-term research on the chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania.
Mia Hamm -Born March 17, 1972, Selma, Alabama, U.S. American football (soccer) player, who became the first international star of the women's game. -Playing forward, she starred on the U.S. national team that won World Cup championships in 1991 and 1999 and Olympic gold medals in 1996 and 2004. -She was revered for her all-around skill, competitive spirit, and knack for goal scoring. She retired from the national team in 2004 with 158 goals in international competition, the most by any player, male or female.
Katharine Hepburn -Indomitable American stage and film actress, known as a spirited performer with a touch of eccentricity -She introduced into her roles strength of character previously considered to be undesirable in Hollywood leading ladies. -As an actress she was noted for her brisk upper-class New England accent and tomboyish beauty.
Hypatia -Egyptian Neoplatonist philosopher who was the first notable woman in mathematics. -The daughter of Theon, also a notable mathematician and philosopher, Hypatia became the recognized head of the Neoplatonist school of philosophy at Alexandria about 400, and her eloquence, modesty, and beauty, combined with her remarkable intellectual gifts, attracted a large number of pupils. -Among them was Synesius of Cyrene, afterward bishop of Ptolemais (c. 410), several of whose letters to her are still extant.
Keller, Helen Helen Keller -American author and educator who was blind and deaf. Her education and training represent an extraordinary accomplishment in the education of persons with these disabilities.
Khadijah -The first wife of the Prophet Muhammad (the founder of Islam), whom she met when she was the widow of a wealthy merchant and had become prosperous in the management of her own commercial dealings. -Having hired Muhammad as a business agent, Khadijah soon came to see him as a suitable husband. -She had been married twice before and had children from each marriage. -According to most sources she was about 40 and Muhammad about 25 when they married. -That she bore him at least six children, however, may suggest that she was younger. -She gave Muhammad support and encouragement when he received his first revelations and remained loyal to him when many prominent Meccans began to oppose him. -While she lived, Muhammad took no other wives. Wangari Maathai -Kenyan politician and environmental activist who was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize for Peace, the first black African woman to win a Nobel Prize. -Maathai was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica College (now Benedictine College; B.S. in biology, 1964) and at the University of Pittsburgh (M.S., 1966). In 1971 she received a Ph.D. at the University of Nairobi, where she then taught veterinary anatomy.
Mary -Also called Saint Mary , or Virgin Mary -The mother of Jesus, an object of veneration in the Christian church since the apostolic age, and a favourite subject in Western art, music, and literature. -Mary is known from biblical references, which are, however, too sparse to construct a coherent biography. -The development of the doctrine of Mary can be traced through titles that have been ascribed to her in the history of the Christian communions—guarantee of the incarnation, virgin mother, second Eve, mother of God, ever virgin, immaculate, and assumed into heaven. -Her humility and obedience to the message of God have made her an exemplar for all ages of Christians. ---Out of the details supplied in the New Testament by the Gospels about the maid of Galilee, Christian piety and theology have constructed a picture of Mary that fulfills the prediction ascribed to her in the Magnificat (Luke 1:48): “Henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” Mata Hari -Dancer and courtesan whose name has become a synonym for the seductive female spy. -She was shot by the French on charges of spying for Germany during World War I, although the nature and extent of her espionage activities remain uncertain.
Florence Nightingale -English nurse and the founder of trained nursing as a profession for women. -In 1854–56, during the Crimean War, she was in charge of nursing in the military hospitals at Scutari, Turkey, where she coped with conditions of crowding, inadequate sanitation, and shortage of basic necessities. -In 1860 she established in London the Nightingale School for Nurses, the first such in the world.
Okuni -Japanese dancer who is credited as being the founder of the Kabuki art form. -Okuni is said to have been an attendant at the Grand Shrine of Izumo in western Japan. -She formed a troupe of female dancers who in 1603 gave a highly popular performance of dances and light sketches on a dry riverbed in Kyoto. -The company's lusty and unrestrained dance dramas soon became known throughout Japan—the style acquiring the name Okuni Kabuki—and other troupes of female dancers were formed.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis -American first lady (1961–63), the wife of John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States, who was noted for her style and elegance. -Her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, was one of the wealthiest men in the world. Anna Pavlova -Russian ballerina, the most celebrated dancer of her time. -Pavlova studied at the Imperial School of Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre from 1891, joined the Imperial Ballet in 1899, and became a prima ballerina in 1906. -In 1909 she went to Paris on the historic tour of the Ballets Russes. -After 1913 she danced independently with her own company throughout the world.
Condoleezza Rice -American educator and politician, who served as national security adviser (2001–05) and secretary of state (from 2005) to President George W. Bush.
Eleanor Roosevelt -American first lady (1933–45), the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd president of the United States, and a United Nations diplomat and humanitarian. She was, in her time, one of the world's most widely admired and powerful women.
Queen of Sheba -According to Jewish and Islamic traditions, ruler of the Kingdom of Saba' (or Sheba) in southwestern Arabia. In the Old Testament account of the reign of King Solomon, she visited his court at the head of a camel caravan bearing gold, jewels, and spices. The story provides evidence for the existence of important commercial relations between ancient Israel and Arabia. According to the Bible, the purpose of her visit was to test Solomon's wisdom by asking him to solve a number of riddles.
Phillis Wheatley -The first black woman poet of note in the United States.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias -American sportswoman, one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century, performing in basketball, track and field, and later golf. It would have been very easy for me to include hundreds if not thousands of other women who have impacted the world. The above examples were names, and are names for the most part that are well known to us all. Now I didn’t show that to you readers to state you have to be a hero, in the media, or famous to have value. I showed it because I wanted you to see what ordinary women have done to become extraordinary in their own rights, what they are doing now, and what they will continue to do. That special motivating hero in these women can’t be captured or cost appraised out. They were motivated by something within and by there own actions became something bigger and larger then life. That you critically examine your own worth as women and continue to grow, get better over time was the entire message I desired to present readers.
I know after writing this article what my value is and how it will change my life as of this minute. The best way I can give you my own personal value is by a quote that I found which suits this exacting question.
(From the movie, The Kingdom of Heaven)
“"What is Jerusalem worth? Nothing. Everything.”
So there it is, I believe a woman can be worth nothing to some, and everything to another. I believe even wars could be founded on such things. That cost, that currency isn’t available for the ordinary. For Goreans however, they understand such principal and Philosophy. After all,
"The men of Gor," she said, "are strong. They are not weak and divided against themselves. They are not tortured. They are integrated and coherent, and proud. They see themselves in the order of nature. They see females as females, as slaves, and themselves as men, as masters. If we do not please them they punish us, or slay us. We quickly learn our place in the order of things. Only where there are true men can there be true women." © copyright 2007, Nyre, all rights reserved |
