Sunday 27 July 2014

The Three Moon Planet Series ~ Part I

"This girl was once visited by the Priest Kings, who had taken her aboard a heavenly vessel to the beautiful planet just like her home. She used to be a beautiful woman, wealthy, free willed and wise until a mishap struck her village when she was taken captive by huge men who seemed unworldly.

Today she drops down to the ground, chained and wounded on the soft grass beneath her heels. She has surrendered herself to the world of unworldly men towards a servitude for life. She has no mind of her own, she has to beg for every necessity and her own survival. She is taken by a Master of the land. She serves her Master during the day and at night when she is allowed to her kennels, she looks up to the sky through the only small window where she sees three moons, something like her home yet so much different from earth, her home" :Kajira

The photograph is taken by Hayden Cerise, slightly edited to make it PG rated from the site:
http://goreandanceblog.wordpress.com/artwriting/artworkphotography/gorean-life-as-seen-by-hayden-cerise/

Gor is a planet located somewhere in the Universe, just opposite of planet Earth. Like Earth has a satellite,the moon, it is said to have three satellites. The planet is beautiful with hard ground, soft green grass and a crystal clear water flowing around with untamed seas. Just like Earth. Although there is an existence of a  technology that is not yet familiar with Earth people, like the vessel which is used to travel across the Universe, yet they live like the historic Romans and Greeks of Earth in old rugged buildings with handmade tapestries. A lot of their livelihood is very similar to the Earth people. They tend the fields, harvest grains, milk bosks, verrs and other animals, cook, mine, make weapons and trade.

The photograph is taken from the community page of Second Life. The link to the City of Esalinus is http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Role-Play/City-of-Esalinus-Gorean-Roleplay/td-p/2046121

Gorean culture is based on the series of fictional novel written by John Norman. A few specifics about the author was written originally by Scott Sanford, which was unlinked to his site and updated by the staff at tLi. John Norman is the pen name of John Frederick Lange, Jr., Ph.D (June 3,931 till present). John Lange was born in Chicago Illinois, with two other siblings, David and Jennifer. He studied at University of Nebraska and later obtained his Ph.D from Princeton with a 149 page dissertation entitled, "In Defence of Ethical Naturalism: An examination of Certain Aspects of the Naturalistic Fallacy, With Particular Attention to the Logic of an Open Question Argument (Princeton University, 24-12, page 5636; order #AAI6401330)" He wrote many Gorean novels, Telnarian Histories trilogy and several other books. The list of books can be obtained from the following site. His works has been produced as a full length motion pictures and have sold millions of copies world wide in different languages. Although he has always tried to suppress his books and thoughts, the idea caught the cyber wind with mass appreciators and followers. More about John Norman can be searched on the web or wiki.

Gorean culture can be much related to John Cater, the movie or the Book series "War of Gods" by Lizzy Ford. The first book in the series, Damian's Oracle was much like the story of a kajira (slave). The only difference would be a kajira is a being not human, stopped aging but not a vampire either. Those who have read or watched the movie would somewhat agree. There are many other novels and movies that would suffice with the idea of Gor. Until I started researching more, that I understood that this culture has been taken from our society and is a reflection of what we have.

Although some of us may be judgmental with the basic idea of slavery based on a science fictional novel. Yet if we look closely enough, we can see like all fiction, it is based on practicality. Suppose, on an isolated island, equal number of men and women are there and no outside factor has decided their rules or their ruler. What would happen? Given the human nature, some will try to dominate, some will submit. There would be a fight among the dominants and the one who wins would make the rule. Others would submit. The ones who disagree with the rules will be caste away.

Such idealistic situation can arise only in the books, that is in theory. If we look around, we deal with issues of other forms of slavery in our world every day. Although, it is said that slavery is a primitive thought, but is it true? Are we free willed? We submit to our boss at work, to our spouse at home, to our elders out of respect. Although it is not slavery, but it is also not free will. These few things are our service out of love and respect.

So, what happens when such relationships are exploited. Its not an alien motive, there are domestic violence on both men and women, women trafficking, prostitution, murders and other criminal activities. We deal with such extremities on the daily basis.

Is this what Gor is all about? Some of it is. Few may think contradictory. It is the most difficult spot that I have found myself ever, a culture that makes you ask question and ultimately you end up asking yourself doing justice with right and wrong. Like all societies there are all kinds of people, good and bad, even with the rules. The idea of slavery, just because one is woman, is the most offensive. This pushed me to plunge into their society, the Community of Gor.

Question 1) Why is Gor popular?
Question 2) Why is Gor hated?

Often Gor, is compared with the negativity of a being, the wild beast that lay under our skin which surfaces. However, the concept of Gor, is close but nothing as cruelty or criminal-ism. In this series, I will try my best to answer these questions put forth by readers. Meanwhile, a little of your view would help too on what do you think of Gorean culture?

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