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POINT BY NYRE What is our responsibility in the online and offline society, and is honor part of this parcel. Society is defined as an aggregate of persons who are responsible for a prevailing social order, or in other words rules that are made in the interests of society rather then for the chosen few. Do we have these rules in place in this community called Gor, or do we struggle yet to define what is and what isnt regarded as right and wrong. We know that acceptance of liars, and criminal actions is not allowed in this philosophy, yet living it under certain definitions in reality is confusing to many. Each person that claims, or believes themselves to be of Gor has a certain pre-requisite of what they believe is accurate and comparative to the series of books. In my minds eye there are two grey areas. A code of honor, and a code of silence. The code of honor has been picked at from people that want to fit into an elite populus yet have had great difficulty being accepted. In that attempt to be perceived as in "the right crowd" they have used and abused the word honor. The sense of such a word is not based on which online arena, or area you fit into as a person. It is not about a number you become, it is character information to who you are. Honor, I feel is an action that is defined by a person with out speaking about it. It is there, or it is not there. The actions of a individual reflect this trait, and it permeates through all of their said interactions, and actions as a person. It is not something that is forced to be lived. It is known many have a very strong military background in this philosophy and have had no choice but to act accordingly under that mandate. Not to say only those of the military can understand this concept simply they have had to live it without question in front of peer leaders. Putting this society as defined above, and honor as defined above together erases the fact of confusion. If we are a society, and as individuals we are naturally honor bond by their actions why do we continue to watch breakage, and frays in the community? It is never a simple answer. The reasons are numerous as is the situation that matches those reasons. Many cannot accept themselves and create a new self. The sadness in that is we most likely would have liked them better, if they had simply provided us the truth. We are all different, it is the acceptance of those differences that has not been tolerated, the unique in each of us, that is rejected. Walking in two worlds often leads to confusion for a person. Do not be shy walking your own path. It will not determine you less "Gorean" or moreso. Gor lives in our hearts because we have allowed it, not because it was a forced set of axioms, and by fact only you looking in the mirror can determine if you are of Gor. The code of silence is an issue that is between men, and those that follow those men. There is a mandate of dealing behind the walls with issues, not openly in front of strangers in the vast net. The obligation of taking on a pledge to be true to one set of thoughts weighs heavily on many. I believe that those that have read the books, those that have lived this philosophy, and place themselves out there for aide to the many, consent. They consent to a responsibilty of actions, and honor within a community. Tolerating dishonor, and those that hide under the word Gor should be exposed for exactly what they are. The cost otherwise is to high for those that are honest, and decent folks willing to share, and educate through action, and value standards. Gor is not a haven for men that hate women, nor phedophiles, and other insanities. Gor is not an avenue for those who have nothing else, it is a intellectual philosophy that has been lived before we all came along, in history under other names, and other lives. It is not about dice, or personas, nor having the best body. It is simply a natural order in which some folks believe in. Over the years many issues have been displayed, many opinions stated, but the truth is there is a community, and I believe peers that we trust in hold responsibility in acting, and removing those that have proved to be of no worth. There is a requirement of honor in the individual that participates and represents themselves to a group, that is part of the parcel. If that component can be filled, there is then the responsibility of those we look up to as leaders to acknowledge the wrongs. That to me holds value, and I am part of this community.
I wish you well. Nyre nyre@home.com Copyright © May 2000, Nyre
COUNTERPOINT BY YURIAL Honorable Communities. People wanting to attach deeper meaning to something will often use the word honor. By turning it into a question of honor, they can then gather the support of all honorable people. Which members of a community wish to proclaim that they do not fall into that group? But is it really a question of honor? It might be. That depends upon the vows one has given. Both vows to others, as well as personal ones. Let us define a community as a group of individuals who have sworn an oath of allegiance to the same Home Stone. All of these individuals are involved in assuring the success of the community. But in what aspects are they honor bound? When are they required to step in, and when should they mind their own business? Certainly, everyone should help secure the community against threats. But should a peasant concentrate on his fields or how his city-state is administered? Everyone has a role within their community. A role defined largely by their caste. What makes communities successful, is when individuals of all castes do their jobs well. This has to do with pride, not honor. It is pride in our community that makes taking those extra steps seem natural. They are not burdens, or answers to how strong our oaths are. If we have time, and our services could be used to better the community, we give them. How often, and in what ways, is up to each of us. Helping out to better the community is not about honor. A warrior who rose only when it was his turn at the watch, when commanded to by a superior officer, and when the community was threatened, could not be classified as dishonorable. Though, the warrior who always kept his eyes open and did not need to be commanded to go that extra mile, would be a much more valuable addition to any community.
I wish you well, Yurial yurial@hotmail.com Copyright © May 2000, Yurial
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