Snipe at Gor from Memepool

[Etoile]

John Norman's Gor novels have titillated teenage boys for decades. However, some people have taken his S&M-drenched swords-and-sorcery fantasy far too seriously, and have modelled their lives and sex-lives around it.
to Wackos by riotnrrd

Now, I'm not a fan of Gor, I've never read it and don't know too much about it. This seems kind of offensive, though. Do we have any Gor aficionados around here who can comment? (I am not personally offended - I'm familiar with the Memepool ways - but I just got this creeped-out sense of "hey, that ain't cool" when I read this.)

 

[SexyChele]

I went through my "I'm curious about Gor" stage, and actually bought the first 4 books. I read the first 2 and got bogged down in the 3rd, eventually just giving up on it.

I also went into a few Gor chat rooms to find out what all the fuss was about. I don't know if the quote you made is all that offensive, based on what I experienced/saw.

There are people who have read all of Norman's books (20+), and simply want to live out this fantasy in the realm of roleplay. It can be a fun diversion, depending on the people involved. Some take it for what it is - pure fantasy that one engages in outside of their "normal" lives. Others take it very seriously, and even though it is through the computer, demand absolute following of the "rules". There are many web sites that demand a person complete a type of application in order to be accepted into the "circle." It was a little strange for me, but others seemed to enjoy themselves, so what's the harm?

As for life outside of the computer, I've heard of people living the novels, but I've always been confused as to how they could do this. I mean, it would be like trying to actually live in "The Lord of the Rings." Great fantasy, but exactly how many Hobbits, Wizards, Dwarfs, etc do we have in our society? (Okay, so we do have dwarfs, but not all have the powers associated with the books) I believe some people live a veneer of Gor and find it satisfying at certain levels in their lives. I don't have a problem with it unless a person loses touch with reality in their everyday lives.

I used to have a very strong negative opinion when I was browsing the chat rooms, but now I just figure if people want to try to live their lives like this it's their decision. I've never met anyone who attempted to force it on me in real life, though I have on the computer. (predators and such)

It will be interesting to see what others have to say.

 

[Bikewer]

I'm pretty much the same; the first four or five were not bad, after you get past Norman's rather quirky writing style. He was fairly inventive, and did a pretty good job of integrating Earth-based cultured into the Gorean setting. The one where Tarl Cabot engages in Roman Coliseum-type racing with the giant Tarns was not bad at all.
He was also fond of lengthy and accurate depictions of the various bondage gear, whips, and so forth that figure into the culture on Gor.
But you can almost hear the publisher...."John, we're getting a huge soft-core porn audience for your stuff. Why don't you really play up that sex slave/master thing?"
Pages and pages of lame "Me master-you slave" dialogue.

Hehe- I wrote a comic fanfic where Buffy gets kidnapped in one of the "voyages of aquisition", much to the dismay of Herr Cabot.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

I think bashing the Gor books is a great idea...where do I sign up?

 

[Netzach]

I'm all for anyone who wants to make fun of the damn things.

But I can laugh at hyperintellectual boho self-consciously sexually savvy Domme chicks, too.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

I'm all for anyone who wants to make fun of the damn things.

But I can laugh at hyperintellectual boho self-consciously sexually savvy Domme chicks, too.

Is it ok if I laugh at Jewish people too?

 

[MasterNico]

Pardon my asking, but is bashing anything you don't understand the norm?

I'm the first to admit, Gor is hard to understand, both the horribly written books, and the lifestyle. I myself have tried many, many times to explain it to people and I am not sure I can do it justice.

Short version, I keep the cerimonious stuff, some other aspects that appeal to me, and chuck the rest in the "That's Fiction and belongs in Fiction" pile.

Living it is much different than the online stuff, which I'm not personally involved with.

A lot of people think that Goreans follow the books to the Nth degree, and that they all must be masogonistic <sp?> assholes. All the Goreans I know are a fun loving bunch, men and women, slave or not.

And those that know us personally that are NOT Goreans don't seem to have a problem with us, and really seem to enjoy the spectacle of it all.

I'll be happy to answer anything I am able, but please don't fault me or Gor if I can't appease you curiosity.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

Pardon my asking, but is bashing anything you don't understand the norm?

I'm the first to admit, Gor is hard to understand, both the horribly written books, and the lifestyle. I myself have tried many, many times to explain it to people and I am not sure I can do it justice.

Short version, I keep the cerimonious stuff, some other aspects that appeal to me, and chuck the rest in the "That's Fiction and belongs in Fiction" pile.

Living it is much different than the online stuff, which I'm not personally involved with.

A lot of people think that Goreans follow the books to the Nth degree, and that they all must be masogonistic <sp?> assholes. All the Goreans I know are a fun loving bunch, men and women, slave or not.

And those that know us personally that are NOT Goreans don't seem to have a problem with us, and really seem to enjoy the spectacle of it all.

I'll be happy to answer anything I am able, but please don't fault me or Gor if I can't appease you curiosity.

It isn't that it is hard to understand, it is the fact that it is some sort of sexual D&D roleplaying silliness...no offense, of course.

*Hits 'Master' Nico with a Level 6 Spell of Pretentiousness*

 

[MasterNico]

I rest my case.

and WTF are you talking about with the spell thingy? Maybe I'm not geek enough.

At least my mind is open.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

I rest my case.

and WTF are you talking about with the spell thingy? Maybe I'm not geek enough.

At least my mind is open.

Do you know the saying about open minds? "Don't have such an open mind that your brains spill out"...
What sort of person lives their life based on works of fiction? Besides Christians and Muslims and Jews, I mean...ok, never mind, enjoy yourself.

 

[MasterNico]

it just sounds to me like you aren't happy with anyone doing something different than you. It's a shame really. Ignorance not only abounds, but it propogates as well around here.

 

[Etoile]

Is it ok if I laugh at Jewish people too?

Sure, but I'll kick you in the box.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

it just sounds to me like you aren't happy with anyone doing something different than you. It's a shame really. Ignorance not only abounds, but it propogates as well around here.

No, not anything different,just Gorean stuff...and it doesn't make me unhappy, it just seems goofy.

And, of course, it has nothing to do with ignorance, and everything to do with personal taste.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

Sure, but I'll kick you in the box.

I'm not in a box...

 

[Etoile]

Pardon my asking, but is bashing anything you don't understand the norm?

Yes. Sad but true.

 

[Etoile]

and WTF are you talking about with the spell thingy? Maybe I'm not geek enough.

It's kind of an RPG Dungeons and Dragons thing.

 

[Etoile]

I'm not in a box...

No, see, that was a snipe at your masculinity.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

No Comment.

 

[Netzach]

Hey, I'm more of a cultural Jew, I think the Bible is the funniest book ever, personally.

Regardless, I think making fun of a, what, 6000 (?) year old tradition and a people who have been murdered in every corner of the planet is a leeeeetle different from a jab at some social darwinists with goofy alternate names for things.

And I wish that most of the Goreans I've known were reasonable and fun people. The majority I've met *are* misogynistic assholes and proud to be such. Colors my views a little.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

Hey, I'm more of a cultural Jew, I think the Bible is the funniest book ever, personally.

Regardless, I think making fun of a, what, 6000 (?) year old tradition and a people who have been murdered in every corner of the planet is a leeeeetle different from a jab at some social darwinists with goofy alternate names for things.

And I wish that most of the Goreans I've known were reasonable and fun people. The majority I've met *are* misogynistic assholes and proud to be such. Colors my views a little.

Uh huh...making fun of religion is MORE fun!!


And, I've met a few Goreans...they also seem to be rather 'dishonest'...more from having a slippery grasp on reality, IMO.

 

[BrightFlower]

Uh huh...making fun of religion is MORE fun!!

Oh, no! Say it ain't so!
<packing up my stalking equipment and going home>

 

[Netzach]

Well, a LOT of SM people have a tenuous grasp on reality, let's face it. I find femsupremacists just as looped.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

Uh huh...making fun of religion is MORE fun!!

Oh, no! Say it ain't so!
<packing up my stalking equipment and going home>

LOL, What?!?!

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

I'm all for anyone who wants to make fun of the damn things.

But I can laugh at hyperintellectual boho self-consciously sexually savvy Domme chicks, too.

I find femsupremacists just as looped.

I'm sensing a trend here...

 

[Etoile]

Hey, I'm more of a cultural Jew, I think the Bible is the funniest book ever, personally.

I'm purely a cultural Jew. My ancestors, by culture, were Jewish. (Kinda like some people are Irish or whatever.) By religion I'm an atheist.