In Defense of the Gorean Ethos

It has been established, at least in my mind, that the Gorean philosophy and the Gorean lifestyle are two distinct and separate beasts. The ethos themselves are found in a multitude of places, books, living and breathing people and various concepts and ideas yet seem to be combined and condensed within the scope of the books written by John Norman. The basis, I believe, contain the elements of natural order within the scope of our relationships, male to female, concepts such as honor and integrity. The ethos themselves seem to challenge us to examine our surroundings, our concepts, the world around us, our conditionings and ourselves. They challenge us to not accept things at face value because we are told we must or conditioned to believe we must by the dictates of mass morals. They teach us that not all that is seen or heard or spoken can be believed and that not all that is unseen but felt, is unreal. They guide us into a deeper understanding of ourselves and our natural natures and into a deeper respect for the things that seem natural and right. They teach us that the easy rode is often the longest and the most difficult to live with and that the true self is not found within the bounds of outside dictates but within the soul of each individual. They too, teach us that truth, as we believe it is something to hold dear.

While I recognize and support the right of others to adapt their concepts into the lifestyle of their choosing, I question certain aspects within the confines of such public venues. The concepts themselves hold weight and I believe would stand their ground against any outside force. The lifestyle on the other hand, as portrayed publically, amongst those that lack understanding, could well be a detriment to the whole. I believe that one of the basis of the Gorean philsophical idea is that of natural order within the confines of the male/female relationship, irregardless of status. Whether a female chooses the status of free or that of slave seems to have little effect upon the relationship between herself and a Gorean minded man. In effect, if she desires to remain in said relationship, she will bow to his will and be what he desires and neither status in my mind will influence the inner female that she is once she understands herself as female within the scope of the Gorean idea and within the confines of a relationship that she craves.

If the Gorean philosophy itself mattered to many, it would seem prudent, at least within the scope of my thinking these days, to protect its integrity against the onslaught of negative tides and to protect those that hold it dear from the possible harm or harasement that could potentially come their way.

It has been my ill fated luck to read the badly written book, “Internet Slavemaster,” within which the Gorean idea was hacked to death by an author that seemingly has little interest in actual research but reports what he believes will be the most readable to the trigger happy world. A long that vein, I caught a program on MSNBC news, titled, “Dark Hearts, Iron Hands,” in which serial killers were portrayed, one of which just happened to be the slavemaster himself, John Robinson. I held my breath as the nationally aired program began to talk about his pinchant for the bdsm areas of the internet and how he was able to lure unsuspecting females from that venue. Having read the book, I fully expected to see the word “Gorean” come up as having been attached to this horrible man. I breathed a sigh of relief as it was somehow passed on.

We that are involved in this venue, we that find truth within the ideas, that support and identify with the concepts could well and at any point, become the dogged and labeled prey for the masses of reporters and disbelieving vangabonds that would seek to turn what we hold close into a comic strip.

It’s one thing to live a lifestyle within the privacy of your homes, to speak about the mechanics upon private boards and to hold certain beliefs within the safe keeping of your hearts but it’s quite another to cast pearls before swine. Those of you that have not considered the difference between supporting and speaking of the ethos and flaunting the chosen yet private lifestyles before the masses of those that not only don’t understand but would not understand the concepts of which it is based up must consider the potential conflict this public display may well have upon the whole at some point.

How many of us, I wonder, would truly continue as we are if your every word was dogged by the media, if your isp’s were sought and if you could potentially be reached in the flesh by those seeking to interview? How many of us, I wonder, would be so open if our faces and our names were known. How many of us, I wonder, work as public servants, city managers, police officers, lawyers, bankers, school teachers or perhaps hold a higher rank in the armed forces, jobs that could well be put in jeapardy for the beliefs we hold. It seems to me, that the ethos, as I said before, can and would well stand on their own and could be supported by any without regard to their offline jobs, families or influences but the lifestyle chosen by some would cause mass upheaval in places like the media. How many can even begin to imagine what that current would be like and how it could potentially affect their very real lives.

When you cast pearls before swine, in my mind at least, you must be prepared for the onslaught of the pigs.

Just my thoughts.

Tena