The Gorean novels are filled with much rhetoric concerning beliefs about Free Women. Many of these sayings allege that all women are natural slaves. Most of these sayings are not mentioned in the presence of Free Women. They are what men say when they get together to discuss women.
"The institution of freedom for women, I decided, as many Goreans believed, was a mistake."--Nomads, pg. 286
"…the garments of a free woman are designed to conceal a woman's slavery,…"--Rogue, pg. 276
"On Gor it is said that free women are slaves who have not yet been collared."--Magicians, pg. 22
"A Gorean saying came to mind, that the free woman is a riddle, the answer to which is the collar."--Magicians, pg. 50 Some of these sayings also allege that true love can only exist between a man and a kajira, not a Free Woman. The general idea is that, for women, the price of being free is that they must sacrifice love. Again, these are sayings generally not spoken of in the presence of Free Women.
"A man can truly love only that woman who is truly his, who belongs to him. Otherwise he is only a party to a contract."--Slave Girl, pg. 444)
"…no free woman, because she is free, can truly compete for the attention and affection of a man as can a slave girl."--Fighting Slave, pg. 217
"Bondage is a soil in which it is natural for love to blossom."--Blood Brothers, pg. 113 Yet, despite all this rhetoric, Free Women remain in the overwhelming majority on Gor. If all women are natural slaves, then why have not the majority of women been enslaved? If true love is only found with a slave, does that mean the vast majority of male Goreans live without love? It seems obvious, based on the evidence within the books, that all of this rhetoric is mostly just talk. It is manly banter that has little basis in the realities of Gorean society. Though generalizations can be made about Free Women, there are surely many exceptions as well. Some Free Women are capable of intense passion and love. Many men must find contentment with their Free Companions as Gorean men in general are said to be happy people. Do not confuse the rhetoric with the reality. Look deeper than the surface to find the true answers of Gor.
|