What is Gorean?
I am sure you have heard "Ask 6 Goreans what is Gor or what it means to be Gorean" and you will get 6 different answers. The answer will depend on your interpretation and understanding of the books. There are many different perceptions.
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The world of Gor is brought to life in a series of 34 books written by John Norman. The books are the supreme authority on Gor. It is highly recommended that anyone who wishes to truly know Gor should read the books.
While it is impossible to condense the series into a few paragraphs, we will do our best to provide a general overview.
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Our information is taken mostly from the books, a few trusted websites and our own understanding.
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WHAT IS GOR?
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"Gor, he said, "is the name of this world. In all the languages of this planet, the word means Home Stone." He paused, noting my lack of comprehension. "Home Stone," he repeated. "Simply that." (Tarnsman of Gor)
Gor, also known as Counter-Earth, is a ficticious planet sharing earth's orbit, but on the opposite side of the sun. The sun being used as a shield to hide the planet from those on earth. One large difference between Gor and Earth, are their satellite moons. While Earth has but one, Gor has three moons; two small and one large.
Gor is a male dominated, barbaric world, structured with a Caste system and where slavery is an accepted institution. Gor is ruled from a distance by the Priest-Kings.
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Technologically advanced aliens who oversee and protect Gor. They do not play an active role in day to day life, however they do limit man's use of this technology except in limited areas. They have surpassed earth in a few areas. One example, physicians have access to technology earth beings have only dreamed of.
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"I looked up and saw the three moons of Gor, the large moon and the two small ones, one of the latter called the Prison Moon, for no reason I understood." (Assassin of Gor)
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"My father then explained to me something of the legends of the Priest-Kings, and I gathered that they seemed to be true to this degree at least - that the Priest-Kings could destroy or control whatever they wished, that they were, in effect, the divinities of this world. (Tarnsman of Gor)
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If you study the maps of Gor, most of the planet appears unexplored. Few people know what lies east of the Voltai and Thentis Mountain Ranges. There are significant sections of the equatorial jungles, north of Schendi, that are largely uncharted. Thassa is the name of the sole known ocean. Ships generally have not travelled more than 100 passangs west of Tyros and the Island of Cos. This area is known as the World's End. It is said, anyone who has sailed there has never returned.
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"The world's end was said to lie beyond Cos and Tyros, at the end of Thassa, at the world's edge." (Beasts of Gor)
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Humans are sparse on Gor but it is teeming with animal life. It is a planet that is booming with natural beauty that could well surpass the natural beauties of earth. Left for the most part unexploited and unpolluted by mankind inhabiting the planet. The air is clean, the skies and waters are clear of toxins such as smog. A healthy respect for nature and its beauty, and an inclination to protect and preserve it, is a very Gorean trait.
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"Goreans care for their world. They love the sky, the plains, the sea, the rain in the summer, the snow in the winter. They will sometimes stand and watch clouds. The movement of grass in the wind is very beautiful to them. More than one Gorean poet has sung of the leaf of a Tur tree. I have known warriors who cared for the beauty of small flowers." (Hunters of Gor)
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One could go on for hours describing Gor. But unfortunately, time prohibits that. For a full understanding of what Gor is, again there is no substitute for the books.
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I will end this section with this quote from Tarl Cabot...
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"And on this barbaric world I have seen it in all its beauty and cruelty, in all its glory and sadness. I have learned that it is splendid and fearful and priceless. I have seen it in the vanished towers of Ko-ro-ba and in the flight of a tarn, in the movements of a beautiful woman, in the gleam of weaponry, in the sound of tarn drums and the crash of thunder over green fields. I have found it at the tables of sword companions and in the clash of the metals of war, in the touch of a girl's lips and hair, in the blood of a sleen, in the sands and chains of Tharna, in the scent of talenders and the hiss of the whip. I am grateful to the immortal elements which have so conspired that I might once be. I was Tarl Cabot, Warrior of
Ko-ro-ba." (Outlaw of Gor )
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PHILOSOPHY:
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"Do not ask the stones or the trees how to live; they can not tell you; they do not have tongues; do not ask the wise man how to live, for, if he knows, he will know he cannot tell you; if you would learn how to live do not ask the question; it's answer is not in the question but in the answer, which is not in words; do not ask how to live, but, instead, proceed to do so." (Marauders of Gor)
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The philosophy of Gor is about knowing who you are, knowing every negative and positive trait, teaching yourself to better the bad and focus on the good. As in all philosophy, Gorean or otherwise, there will always be a certain amount of personal interpretation and adaptation.
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All Goreans are encouraged to identify what is important to them, and make a conscientious decision to strive to live up to those standards in their daily lives. The most externally obvious, and thus controversial, aspect of Gorean philosophy is the concept of Natural Order. It is, for better or worse, what Goreans are known for, if they are known.
It is also perhaps the most misunderstood, even by those professing to be Gorean.
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There was question that was famously asked in the books " Why so hard? Why so soft?" Earthern mindset, or worldview, seeks the easy, the soft.
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I would remind those here that the Gorean mindset is that of Hardness, of inequality, of strength being the basis for power in a Natural Order that we exist in. It is not easy, or soft at all to walk that way, but if we are Goreans, than we have to remember to walk that 'hard' path sometimes, lest we forget ourselves. Goreans embrace and accept the nature of hierarchy, and that some will lead and others follow. Following is not disgraceful if it is natural and appropriate in context; not everyone can, or should, lead.
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Without both followers and leaders the chances of anything getting done is close to none. Gorean culture is, openly and unabashedly, male-dominant. Male-dominant, however, does not imply misogynistic. There are many women involved in the Gorean community who are well-respected, but understand that Gor is patriarchal without shame.
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In denying it we deny our own nature. In betraying it we betray no one but ourselves. The master will never be happy until he is a master. The slave will never be happy until she is a slave. It is what we are. (Explorers of Gor)
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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A GOREAN?
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It is impossible to fully grasp what it means to be Gorean without having read all the novels. However, there is one word that most will associate with being Gorean...honor. Goreans have honor.
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While possessing honor is paramount on Gor, there were also those who were liars, dishonest and thieves. But, they were still considered Gorean.
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"I knew so little of this world! When I did understand it I became aware, more seriously than hitherto, of the nature of the men in this city - of their skill, ferocity and pride, and their sense of honor. The men of Gor, our masters, tend to take honor very seriously." (Witness of Gor)
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"It is seldom wise, incidentally, to impugn, or attempt to manipulate, the honor of a Gorean. " (Mercenaries of Gor)
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Even slaves have honor...
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"Although you are only a slave your master is permitting you to serve him," I said. "This is a great honor." She seemed startled. Then it became clear to her that this was, for her, a slave, an honor. (Slave Girl of Gor )
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Being Gorean is about becoming better adjusted as a species, but also very much about becoming better individual - and having the time to do both. That’s also where we begin to see the important difference in Gorean perspective comes in...
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The way you look at life, how you channel your efforts and how you measure your successes and failures has everything to do with how you find happiness. And as you read the books on Gor, you will tend to find that the villains in every book are the people who cant learn or try and go against the things that keep society Gorean stable.
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How to deal with the stresses and strains? You have to wonder how the whole planet doesn’t go insane?
That brings us to the great coping mechanisms you get living in Gor – the importance of belonging, the importance of beauty and the importance of personal growth.
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This is where the positive differences of Gor come into play - fundamental differences in social focus between Gor and Earth, that create the Gorean Perspective. It doesn't matter if you are a Free in a city... a panther in a tribe..... a dust leg out on the Eastern plains... Belonging is integral to life on Gor. Belonging is EVERYTHING
On Gor, you BELONG….. You focus on personal growth but also on the collective growth and betterment of your family, your caste and your Home Stone.
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Goreans have a sense of belonging that you can bend iron bars around, and it’s a vital focus in your life to concentrate on those things instead of just being self indulgent. Goreans don’t do self pity – when in a difficult situation they try to fix it themselves. Goreans act towards betterment, instead of accept or passively react, and this focus lends their life meaning.
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Belonging centers you as a Gorean, and it gives a joy in life. because you have purpose and scope to your life.
You may be of a high family or you may be born a slave, but there are no glass ceilings in Gorean society. It may take time, but with personal effort and doing your best, you can rise above the worst circumstances.
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You can gain your freedom from slavery, and not be looked down once you do so – because you have proven you are capable of growth and taking care of your life in a mature fashion.
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To borrow a quote from Getty Lee, ‘You don’t get freedom for free.’ Bad things can happen to you – but Gor is a world where you can EARN yourself a better life.
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"I knew that Gorean caste lines, though largely following birth, were not inflexible, and that a man who did not care for his caste might be allowed to change caste, if approved by the High Council of his city, an approval usually contingent on his qualifications for the work of another caste and the willingness of the members of the new caste to accept him as a Caste Brother." (Priest-Kings of Gor)