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January 8 1998The past few weeks, something has been working itself back into my mind. I have been asked a few times to explain the differences between BDSM and Gor. Considering the sometimes subtle differences in definitions, I did the best I could for an on-the-spot explanation. However, perhaps another in depth look at it is needed. So this horse has come back, hopefully for it's final beating. But, knowing how stubborn people can be when it comes to any form of enlightenment, I am sure this will not be the end.
The way I understand it, there are a great many people out there who enjoy their BDSM beliefs. There are also, I would think far less, who enjoy their Gorean beliefs. Are the two really separate? Should they be intermixed? Should BDSM be taught to newcomers as being a part of Gor? Perhaps the questions can be answered, perhaps not. Let's take a look at each of these beliefs, and the differences in definitions.
Bondage in BDSM: Would best be described as restraining someone for sexual pleasure. Being tied to one of these many contraptions that have been invented for the sole purpose of sexual pleasure. Perhaps also consisting of toys such as nippleclamps, buttplugs, clitclips, duct tape... you know the sort.
Bondage on Gor: Obviously to keep a slave from escaping. Does a Gorean master secure his slave to a slavering, slavepost, or cage her for his sexual pleasure? No. A Gorean slave is secured in one of many manners to keep her from running away. Does he use her while she is still tied for sexual pleasure? No, he uses her while she is still tied so he does not have to retie her when he is finished.
Discipline in BDSM: Discipline for sexual pleasure. Perhaps once again someone is tied to that really cool rack thingy, and beat for the sexual fun of it, with a riding crop, a whip, a paddle... things to make the recipient's body nice and red and tingly to please the eye, or to arouse sexually. Ahem.
Discipline on Gor: Discipline in the true meaning of the word. Discipline to teach an errant slave. Discipline for not being sufficiently pleasing. Discipline for disobedience. Discipline for sexual pleasure? No. I have yet to read anything about a Gorean male whipping a slave till he gets a hardon, also, I have not yet read of a slave being whipped till she cums.
Sadism in BDSM: Well, I am sure we all know that in this sick and warped society we live in the disease of sadism is very real. So I would agree that sadism is very real in BDSM. There are those "humans" out there that derive great sexual pleasure from another's pain, be it animal or human.
Sadism on Gor: I think this is a grossly misinterpreted part of the books of Gor. A Gorean master, does not beat his slave because he derives pleasure from it, he beats his slave because she either needs to be punished for something, or perhaps only to remind her that she is, truly, a slave. This is education, not sadism. I have seen referrence to Goreans taking pleasure in the enslavement, and beating of a woman. It is human nature to take pleasure when someone recieves their just desserts. Is this sadism? No, it is human nature. Kamchak's enslavement of Aphris, was understandably pleasing for him after what she did to him. Hell, I was pleased FOR him! Was this really sadistic?
Masochism in BDSM: Yes, of course it is masochistic for someone to wish physical or mental pain on themselves. And for someone to allow themselves to be put to the rack or to the whip simply for the sexual pleasure of it is indeed masochistic. It is not normal human nature to wish for pain, and anyone who does wish for, and seek out this pain in a sexual manner should also seek professional help.
Masochism on Gor: Judging by the quotes seen in the past that sought to equate BDSM with Gor, on the surface it does indeed seem there is masochism within the books. Let's look a little deeper than the wish for physical pain upon one's self. A Gorean slave does NOT wish to be beat for the physical pleasure of the act. A Gorean slave might occasionally wish a beating to remind her of who, and what she is. She wishes to be reminded occasionally that she is utterly owned, and in this she finds much pleasure and satisfaction, not in the beating itself. A Gorean slave is as unmasochistic as a Gorean male is unsadistic.
Looking at the above descriptions, one might be led to believe that BDSM is very much about sex. Seems this way to me. Many feel that the Gorean philosophy is about sex. Although there is sex in the books written by John Norman, there is much more to it than that. If I need to explain what else there is, then it would be best if you took some time to read a bit more of the stories of Gor than you have.
Although the books of Gor may contain some situations that, on the surface, seem to be related to earthly BDSM, I feel it is very important not to confuse the two, especially from an educational standpoint. Our Gorean customs and beliefs suffer greatly at the hands of those who use the "cover" of being Gorean to lure hapless newcomers into their weekend sex games. Those of you who have a reading comprehension level higher than the 7th grade understand that the foundation of the books of Gor is not fictional, but based on the fact that men are naturally dominant over women. The two genders of the human species have, or at least used to have, their distinct roles in society. This is not about the act of sex, the securing of a slave, or the beating of a woman. This is about basic human nature. There is nothing basically natural about BDSM. If a man has to tie a woman up to control her, then perhaps he is not a man. If a woman needs to be tied to be controlled, then perhaps she is not a woman. Yet.
Those of you who seek, in any way possible to translate the philosophy of Gor into BDSM, are truly grasping at straws. Why? Perhaps, like many others who find that they cannot handle the fact that they are human, distinctly different in their sex and genetic structure, you seek to make it into something that it is not, so you can "fit in". You may, of course, continue to label yourselves "Gorean" and seek your sexgames, but rest assured there are those of us who will also continually stand against you, in the hopes that what is Gorean might be preserved, in some small way, contained within tiny pockets of genetically sound men and women. We will stand, and we will teach, and a few will learn the truth.
I wish you well, Goreans.
Danath
Thoughts about the Gorean Collar
A few weeks ago, a girl wandered into one of the very few channels on Austnet that I attend, new to Gor, and very curious. After a bit of talk, it seemed to me that she was genuinely interested in what we do here and who we are. A few days later, this girl contacted me under a new name, with a collar on her IRC neck, very distressed and saddened by what she had done. After a few questions, it came to light that she had been looking around the "Gorean" channels, and it seems she was finally suckered into take a collar offered to her by a "Gorean" camp. Having realized the error of her unfortunately uninformed ways, she asked if there was anything she could do about it. I asked her how the collaring had come about, and she proceeded to tell me that this camp's collar was offered to her in message, under the guise of a training collar. Sounds a lot like a diaper, and a bit disturbing considering it comes from one of the supposedly true Gorean channels. She was then told she must beg for the camp's collar in open channel. How realistic. Now it seems to me, if a girl must be told she has to beg for a collar, then this girl is far from ready to even have a collar. Towards the end of our conversation, the girl mentioned to me that ours was the only channel she had been to that didn't offer her a collar! Why am I not surprised? It seems that with all these supposedly "True Gor" channels around here, she would not have been offered so many collars. It makes me wonder just how true "True Gor" is. If this is "True Gor", then you can keep it. Small wonder I do not feel the need to get out much anymore. If a slave wishes a collar, or a home, let her beg for it. Who knows, she might actually keep it for more than a week.
The situation described above, is one that is obviously far too common here, a bit gamey smelling, and un-Gorean. It seems as if these new girls, perhaps only seeking to learn of the ways of Gor, are being preyed upon in their lack of knowledge. Why are they told that they need a collar to be here? Why are they told they need a collar to learn? Why are so many offered? Now, I am sure you will correct me if I am wrong, since I admit I have not read all of the books of Gor, but I do not expect that I will be reading anything about a girl being swooped down upon by a raiding tarnsman, and being offered a collar! Did Rask offer Elinor a collar? Did Tarl offer Talena a collar? I could go on and on, but hopefully the point is made. There were, of course, many instances where a slavegirl did beg a collar, either out of love for a man, or because she wanted to be purchased and owned. This brings me to another point: It seems that there is this very lame custom on IRC that if a girl begs a collar, and it is refused, that the person she begged it from can kill her. Stupid, people, very stupid indeed! What a fun game this must be to those of you who play it. A pitiful bunch you are who actually think this way. Show me some examples in the books of Norman where this has occurred! Better yet, try actually reading a few of the books instead of just claiming you have. Stop letting the blind lead you. I think that in Tarl's travels he would have ended up killing a lot of slaves if he had killed all the girls who begged his collar, and were refused.
Perhaps you are asking yourself now "If it is un-Gorean to offer a collar, and a slave should beg to be collared, how do we aquire any slaves or Masters?". Not an easy task, but there is an answer. In the case of channel collars, if a slave finds herself liking to be in a particular channel a lot, then perhaps in time she will ask for the channel's collar. In the more private instance of a Master and a slavegirl, I think that with much conversation, they will both realize that this is what they want, without a collar actually being offered. The end results will be that the girl will beg the collar, and will be accepted. Is it too time consuming for you? Then take your damned games somewhere else! There is a slight chance that the person you are playing with has very real feelings and needs. It is these fools games, having devalued the meaning of the collar, that makes it so easy for many to shuck them, both personal, and channel collars.
For those of you who are new, or perhaps not so new, and interested in the truth, take your time, learn the meaning and the required commitment of a collar before you beg one, or seek to put one on someone's neck. If you find yourself being offered collars, move on in your travels, and perhaps in time you will find, real men and women, who know, and greatly value, the Gorean collar.
I wish you well
Danath