A Code of Integrity

The next Gorean code we will consider is that of integrity. Integrity is a clear mandate for Goreans; to fully express and acknowledge an unbroken set of moral and ethical codes, in every action taken.

“Act only on that maxim which you can at the same time will that it should be come a universal law.” - Immanuel Kant

One can choose to act at all times with a consistency that is both internal and external. That is, to act with a whole heart, without the internal conflicts that breed the unwarranted stress and confusion which are the pervasive bane of our modern society. In time, what was once a matter of choice becomes habit, and soon that which was merely habit will be transmuted within you, revealing and manifesting your intrinsic Gorean nature.

“You can’t, in sound morals, condemn a man for taking care of his own integrity. It is his clear duty.” - Joseph Conrad

We cannot afford, as those who strive for the reality of the ideals of Gorean thought, to be passive or negligent in our duty to be lead by example. In doing so, integrity becomes the framework that must surround ideals such as honesty, strength, and conviction. To settle for less would be to compromise our fundamental Gorean nature. There is no license to “do what thou wilt” without consideration of the entire philosophy. None of the codes exists in a vacuum, isolated from the rest. Each operates in concert with the others, building a consistent whole human.

“A ‘No’ uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.” - Mohandas K. Gandhi

You must always remember your obligation to being an individual is paramount to understanding what Gorean ideals really are. An obligation and a human right, to know and to experience each facet and code that Norman has presented in his series. The books offer us well-defined examples of the intricacies of the Philosophy. A key part of your journey is peeling off the layers of the irrelevant, and finding your own answers within the parables of Gor. Dividing the facts from the fiction is often no more difficult than applying common sense. Your obligation, as a Gorean, is to follow the codes that Norman articulated with his Philosophy, and then dared to share with the world.

“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

We are not ants, we are humans. We are not a hive collective mind; each and every one of us has the right to make our own choices. Not only do we own the right to such a thought, we have the responsibility to stand by the choices we have made.

It is critical to refuse to compromise your values, and your sense of rightness. Never settle for less that what you have merited in any aspect of your life.

“I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost

Living a life of integrity takes strength. Strength of character, strength of will. The truth is that not everyone is capable, or willing, to exert such strength. We all know many examples of such refusal or failure, but we also know of those who have strived for, and attained, this very basic Gorean code. For a Gorean, integrity is not optional, it’s a way of life.

I wish you well,

Nyre

Copy@righted June 2004