Tal, folks.

In previous columns, I wrote a "Guide to slaves". In this month's column, I provide you all with a counterpart.

It strikes me that the proof: "I am Gorean because I say I am" is in fact no proof at all, under the rules of rationale as well as logic. So I will attempt to explain a little of what I regard as the definition of a Gorean man, and how such a man can make the natural progression into Mastery - his God-given right.

Firstly, then, I will answer the question "What is a Gorean?".

Within our community, the term "Gorean" is synonymous with "honour", "responsibility", and "mastery". This I think is a reflection of the kind of men who are those I would call Gorean, and not in itself a reflection of the Gorean philosophies. The Gorean philosophies certainly do speak of honour and mastery, in that the basic tenant of Gorean philosophy is that "Gor is a place where men are not afraid to be men, and women are made to be women", and in that the Warriors codes speak of honour. I will not quote the codes from the books. This is something I believe a man should seek out for himself. Otherwise, I suspect, his understanding of what he reads will not be so complete.

I have known many other men whose personal philosophies lead them along an honourable and responsible path. Many of these men, however, have no comprehension of the natural mastery of men over women. They are, nevertheless, fine men. It is a constant source of sadness to watch some such men succumb to the wiles of some women, and fawn over their shallow beauty or cherish the smallest insincere word received. Then there are others, who are proud of themselves because their success with women is great; the women react to their natural self-confidence and charisma; and yet the men can not see the small step from such a position to one of mastery. Such men, while close, are not Gorean.

I am not stating that I believe all women should be mastered. Some women are too beautiful free, and would lose an aspect of their beauty and spirit if it was ever shown to them, irrevocably, that they could be made slave. Yet there is a Gorean tenant which states that "for each woman, there is a man somewhere who is her natural Master". With that, I agree. However given the lack of men on Earth who embrace their right to Master, the number of men to whom a woman can find herself slave is that much less. Consequentially, many if not most women will never even glimpse the life of the slave except, perhaps, in dreams.

But I digress. I have stated that it is not sufficient to merely embrace codes of honour and responsibility to become Gorean. Further, to embrace also the right of Mastery does not make one a Gorean. In the same way that one can not be Buddhist without embracing Buddhism, or Christian without embracing Christ, or a Nazi without embracing the words of Hitler, one can not be Gorean without embracing the principles, philosophies and the ethos of Gor.

Being Gorean is often related to being American. One lives on Gor, one is Gorean. One lives in America, one is American. Aside from the fact that this argument is inane in that Gor is fictitious, it also fails to grasp the being Gorean is as much about philosophies as geographical location. In any event geography in this case is only that which pertains to location; move the Gorean culture and society to Earth, and that is where Gor is. Indeed, being Gorean if one should equate it to a nationality on Earth at all, is best reflected in my opinion by the simile of being an Israeli. In Israel, one does not merely live in the country, one also partakes of the views and philosophies of the Jewish race, for if one does not one weakens a country beset on all sides by historical enemies waiting for any opportunity to commit genocide. Perhaps the need to grasp the Gorean philosophies is not so great, but the importance of the philosophies to one who calls himself Gorean, is.

Therefore, in conclusion, for a man to be Gorean he must have a knowledge and understanding of the Gorean principles, philosophies and ethos. [Irrelevant where this knowledge is gleaned from, providing, of course, that it is accurate - else it is not Gorean but yet another collection of philosophies altogether based loosely on Gor.] Furthermore he must accept these philosophies and strive to live his life by them as far as is possible within his individual circumstances.

The menagerie and culture of Gor is not a definitive part of being Gorean, aside from where it overlaps with the philosophies, principles and ethos of Gor. Thus, slavery is very much a part of Gor because it is included in the philosophies; but the brand, the collar, the term "white silk" and the drink "paga" are all trappings which, as a Gorean, one need not incorporate into one's life unless one wishes too. On the other hand, the brand and collar are symbols of the ownership of women, and the ownership of women is a part of the Gorean ethos. Therefore the brand and the collar are symbols which most Goreans would be well advised to consider, or find alternatives for should they not wish to. One can speculate indefinitely on what aspects of Gorean culture and menagerie are not pertinent to leading a Gorean lifestyle by virtue of principles, philosophies and ethos alone. This is not productive, however, and a certain amount of common sense and acceptance of tradition may perhaps provide a more peaceful existence for all within the established on-line Gorean community.

Now for the natural progression into mastery.

I have heard it often mentioned that one does not need to own a slave-girl in order to call oneself Gorean. By virtue of the definition of a Gorean I have just provided above, this is, of course, entirely correct. However, on this matter Norman states:

"I wondered if a man could be a man without a slave. I supposed that he might be a strong fellow, and a good fighter and such, without a slave. Similarly, one might have lived, I supposed, without eating meat, without having heard music. I wondered if a woman knew what it was to be a woman without ever having had a master. It did not seem to me likely."

Magicians of Gor, page 213.

I should like to point out here that Norman has, in my humble opinion, made an error of logic. If I could rephrase the penultimate statement, it would read instead: "Once a woman has had a Master, she would know what it was to be a woman, whereas before she could not fully know". In the same way, this statement could be applied to a Gorean man: "I wondered if a man could be a man without a slave. Once a man has had a slave, he would know what it was to be a man, whereas before he could not fully know". I suspect that this statement is equally true.

Naturally once the experience has been obtained it need not be repeated or sustained to enable the man to maintain his "Goreaness". In that respect, the Gorean man can be Gorean without the current ownership of a woman.

Without the chains and biases of our dubiously formed society, it may be that it would be simpler to grasp the concept of Mastery. Indeed, Norman describes an account of a recently freed male slave learning the basic concepts of Mastery with a swiftness not frequently enjoyed on Earth. If only we could all learn such experiences within the mere turning of a page:

"I think," said Milo to me, "that I would fain remain your slave!"

"Why?" I asked.

"That I might upon occasion, when permitted," said Milo, "have the opportunity to look upon this woman."

"Do you find her of interest?" I asked.

"Of course!" he said, startled.

"Then she is yours," I said.

"Mine!" he cried.

"Of course," I said. "She is only a slave, a property, a trifle, a bauble. I give her to you. Here is the key to her collar," I pressed the key into his hand. "You may break permission," I said to the slave.

She flung herself to her belly before me, covering my feet with kisses, "Thank you! Thank you, Master!" she wept.

"Your new master is there," I said, indicating Milo.

Quickly then she lay before him, kissing his feet, "I love you, Master!" she wept. "I love you!"

He reached down, awkwardly, to lift her up, but it seemed she fought him, struggling, and could not be raised higher than to her knees, and then, he desisting in amazement, she had her head down again, to his feet, in obeisance, and was kissing them. She was laughing, and crying. "I love you, Master!" she wept. "I love you! I will be hot, devoted and dutiful! I am yours! I will live to please you! I will live to love and serve you! I love you, my Master!" She kissed him again, and again, about the feet, the ankles, the sides of the calves. Then she looked up at him timidly, love bright in her eyes. "I will try to be a good slave to you, Master!" she said.

"Surely I must free you!" he cried.

"No!" she suddenly cried, in terror.

"No?" he said.

"No!" she said. "Please, no, my Master!"

"I do not understand," he stammered.

"I have waited too long for my slavery! It is what I have desired and craved all my life! Do not take it from me!"

"I do not understand," he said, haltingly.

"I am not a man!" she said. "I am a woman! I want to love and serve, wholly, helplessly, unquestioningly, irreservedly, unstintingly! I want to ask nothing and to give all! I want to be possessed by you, to be yours literally, to be owned by you!"

He was speechless.

"My slavery is precious to me," she said. "Please, Master, do not take it from me!"

"What should I do?" he asked me, wildly.

Lavinia, too, kneeling before him, her arms not about his legs, looked at me, wildly, pleadingly, tears in her eyes.

"What do you want to do?" I asked him.

"Truly?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"She is beautiful!" he said.

"Of course," I said.

"I want her," he said.

"Subject to what limits?" I asked.

"To no limits," he said.

"Then it seems you want her wholly," I said.

"Yes," he said, "wholly."

"There is only one way to have a woman wholly," I said, and that is for her to be your slave, for you to own her."

"Please, please, Master!" wept Lavinia, looking up at Milo. "Please, Master!"

"Do with her what you wish," I said. "But she is a slave. It is the only thing which will truly fulfil her. It is the only thing which will make her truly happy."

"I do not know what to do!" he said.

"What do you want to do?" I asked.

"I want to own her!" he cried, angrily, "I want to own every inch of her, every particle of her, every bit of her, totally, every hair on her head, every mark on her body, all of her, all of her! I want to own her, completely!"

"Yes, Master! Yes, Master!" said Lavinia.

"It is what you want, and it is what she wants, too," I said.

"You understand," said he to Lavinia, "that if I make this decision, it is made."

"Yes, Master!" she said.

"Once it is made, it is made," he said.

"Yes, Master!" she said.

"And that is acceptable to you?" he asked.

"She is a slave," I said. "It makes no difference whether it is acceptable to her or not. You are the master."

He looked down at Lavinia.

"He is right, of course, Master," she said. "My wishes are nothing, as they are only the wishes of a slave. My will is nothing, as it is only the will of a slave. I am at your mercy, totally. I am in your power, completely."

"Aii!" he said, understanding this.

"Master?" she asked.

"You are my slave," he announced, accepting her.

"I love you, Master!" she wept, putting her head against his thigh.

"I own you," he said, softly, wonderingly.

"Yes, Master," she said.

"Truly," he said.

"Yes, my Master!" she said.

"It is one thing to own a woman," I said, "and it is another to have her within the bonds of an excellent mastery."

"Undoubtedly," he said.

Magicians of Gor, pages 462-5.

This concludes this month's column, and forms a basis for the Gorean man. It takes some a life-time of studying to understand and come to terms with the Gorean philosophies. This is not a reflection on an individual, merely a reflection on how much of life such philosophies incorporate. But needless to say, from this point on the path a Gorean man must follow is an individual path, out of necessity and nature. It is a fortunate man who finds other Goreans whom he can call Friend, Comrade or even Brother to help him along the way. For this reason, such words should not be used lightly.

I wish you well,

Jarl.