| ISSUES AND DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING FEMALE PROPERTY |
The Master/slave relationship as found within the Gorean lifestyle is a modern adaptation of slavery as fictionally depicted in the Gorean novels. What is portrayed as existing on Gor is a highly developed societal institution, something that is an ingrained and legal part of that culture and exists not only as an accepted idea, but a highly refined and structured practice. It is also something that is dependent upon that culture to occur, at least in that particular form, for a society's institutions cannot realistically operate and exist without the presence of the actual society within which it has developed and is an integral part. It is obvious that a societal institution that is a segment of one culture, fictional or not, cannot truly exist in identical form independent of that culture or within another whose customs and beliefs are not accepting of it. The intent of those living a Gorean lifestyle within our modern civilization is not to disprove this reality, but to incorporate the philosophical basis of that fictional world into one's life as a valid lifestyle system. The adaptation of this philosophy to our modern society is simply a breakdown of those values and beliefs behind the actions and institutions which are shown in the novels, which are then applied to one's particular outlook on his world and how he carries himself within it. A Master/slave relationship is one possible part of a Gorean lifestyle, be it one lived here on Earth, or portrayed in the novels as existing on Gor. While the societal institution of slavery only exists in the latter environment, in both cases the same basic philosophies and customs are applied, with the same intents and goals if somewhat differing methods and surroundings. Slavery in itself is not an aspect of Gorean philosophy, but again is developed from the theories this belief system presents, and exists in its institutional form as a part of Gorean society, while existing in the lifestyle as a particular form of Master/slave relationship and "path" towards self-realization. "Gorean slavery," as found within a modern Gorean lifestyle, is an adaptation of this societal institution, being founded on the same philosophical basis as its fictional counterpart. It is not developed to suit Gorean society, but to coexist with the modern society of which its practitioners are each a part. Its intention is not to recreate the effects and conditions of the legalized institution, but to use the ideas at its core as a means to further embrace one's own masculinity and femininity, characteristics of which dominance and submission are each natural and prevalent parts. BDSM, Gorean Slavery and the Gorean Lifestyle
It is not the intention or goal of Sardaria to exist or develop as a Gorean flavored BDSM club, deviant dating game, or a support group for those wishing to occasionally explore their dominant or submissive sides. Such things often have to do with a chosen sexual preference exhibited in particular situations primarily of a sexual nature, not an ongoing and all consuming lifestyle based upon a particular philosophy that is demonstrated through the model of a culture and its traditions, and adhered to in reaction to a natural predisposition that manifests itself in one's continual and consistent being. The word "slavery," as it is used in BDSM circles, does not normally define the same thing as it does in a Gorean environment, in fact it more often does not really define a "slave" at all. Likewise, the term "BDSM" and what it means does not incorporate the majority of the issues and themes a lifestyle like the Gorean one is involved with, nor is its motivation and reasoning the same. While the Gorean Master/slave relationship may be viewed as a Dominant/submissive relationship in a general sense, the reality upon which it is based is much more specific and developed, and holds a much deeper rationalization than often holds true for the BDSM equivalent. Furthermore, comparisons made between the two normally take into consideration only one possible part of the Gorean lifestyle - the Master/slave relationship, and in doing so improperly define it as identical to something that falls far short of a complete consideration of all that lifestyle is, while falsely defining the living of it as consisting of just being in a particular form of relationship. This incorrect opinion is usually created in response to a surface judgment that the Gorean Master/slave relationship is all about sex and a specific form of sexual fantasy, which it is not, that it is simply an exercise in dominance and submission, which is an incomplete definition at best, and that the words "lifestyle" and "relationship" as they mean here are somehow identical, which is obviously not true. While the institution of slavery is a part of Gorean society, and the related themes upon which this institution was created are facets of Gorean philosophy, slavery in itself is not the sole or primary concern of either, and is not the sum of a lifestyle based upon them. The institution fictionally exists on Gor as an outgrowth of human nature but does not create these instincts, it only serves as a means to fulfill them. Likewise, slavery in the lifestyle serves as a means of realizing part of the philosophy upon which the lifestyle is based, but is not the only means, and is not the central goal. Gorean slavery is also not primarily an outlet for sexuality, but in a personal sense, is more an outlet for one's nature that encompasses far more than just sexual situations and how the act itself is performed. This nature is also not something chosen or just submitted to, but something that is accepted in reaction to instinct, biology, and the basic difference between the sexes, and in essence not a choice at all, but a recognition of truth, and one that is not made simply as a fulfillment of a sexual urge. To further say that this nature is for the male to be dominant over the submissive female, does not fully describe the depths of the issue, the lifestyle or a relationship built upon these things. It is not a matter of enacted dominance or submission, and not something needing the employment of toys, trappings, or fanciful settings to create the illusion of these D/s roles, but is the embracing of one's natural masculinity or femininity and all that constitutes each. The true basis of a Gorean Master/slave relationship is not really found in the depths of dominance or submission, nor for that matter is one's personal mastery or slavery, but rather it is found in the masculinity and femininity of each respective person. D/s is not the center of this kind of relationship, and surely not the lifestyle itself, it is only a fraction of the overall nature of the male and the female in relation to one another. The Gorean Master/slave relationship, and the lifestyle it is a part of, are thus an embracing of this nature and the wider themes it covers, not just one's dominance or submission, but one's personal masculinity or femininity along with the relationship of the two to each other. The Gorean lifestyle is a philosophy of life that is founded in what is seen as natural for mankind, which can include a Master/slave relationship, but is not dependent upon its inclusion to exist, and not defined or successfully practiced solely through it. Slaves and Submissives
Much in the same way that BDSM and Gor are not the same thing, so too do the concepts of "submissive" and "slave" differ. Submission is a reaction to that which is more dominant. A submissive, in the general sense, is someone whose instincts tend towards submission and seek out more dominant forces to be submissive before. Such a person is naturally more comfortable in this role, and when placed in contrary positions will at first feel out of place, and after time will feel frustrated and unfulfilled. While it could be said that a slave is a submissive, what is being referred to in the essay that follows are the titles of "submissive" and "slave" themselves, the first as a commonly employed BDSM expression used to refer to the "bottom" in a Dominant/submissive relationship, and the second in a Gorean sense as would be found in the Gorean lifestyle. A "submissive," in the sense of the word as a BDSM title, is not truly a "slave," but an individual that choses when, where, and how she will display her submission. This display takes the form of her submitting herself to the command of another, accepting that person's conditional domination over her as a matter of choice and preference, while retaining her personal control. Limits to this domination are declared, and negotiated with her dominant (also applied as a title) before the time of submission, with the participants held to them during any "play." In this way the submissive is the one truly in control of the relationship, with a pretend form of control being given to the "master" after certain conditions have been agreed to and met. This illusory passing of control lasts only for the duration of the given session, or until the submissive decides she wishes to retract it, and is often dependent upon the use of toys, trappings, and settings to create a "mood" which helps make the chosen role of each feel more real, and the overall fantasy more believable. Usually this session occurs as some type of sexual situation, with submission itself being a sexual act that is based upon a particular form of fetish in which the female wants to be temporarily subject to the will of the chosen, participating male. Inequality in this sense is controlled, and limited to a given setting that is used for sexual fulfillment of some kind, with the power exchange being a form of foreplay. This exchange of power could even be extreme, with the one so submitting complying with anything she is ordered to do while assuming her submissive role, but this is done for the sake of stimulation, fulfillment of a fantasy, and resulting sexual release. The subject's control in itself, no matter how extreme the related actions may be, is not truly abandoned for even in submitting to a command she is only doing so for an agreed to period of time, on her own terms, and as part of her assumed role. Conversely, Gorean slavery is a totality of being, one that is not related to a particular time frame or setting, but is a continual and consistent way of life. While still not slavery in the legalized sense, it is not limited to certain conditions and situations defined by the submissive, and is not primarily sexual in nature or intended as just an extreme form of foreplay. It is reflected in every act of the slave, regardless of when, where, or how it may be displayed, and is manifested in the surrender of the slave's control to another's will. This surrender is consensual, being her acceptance of her place before another, but once given she relinquishes all of her rights within the relationship and has no limits except those defined by her master. In this way, the relationship itself is consensual, but what constitutes it is not. The slave is not able to negotiate her slavery or question a command as such would be contradictory to the condition she claims to be in. She is subject to another person's will, in all ways and forms, with the focus of the relationship being upon the master and his wishes. Limits and conditions, of the type a submissive would have, only serve to prevent a slave from reaching the depths of her own slavery, for each self-imposed contradiction to her nature pushes her farther from it. The slave of course retains the option to leave a relationship in response to a situation she does not wish to continue to live in, but in doing so she is not disobeying a command so much as exiting the relationship, with the master not deferring to the subject's will as would occur in a Dominant/submissive setting, but observing the law. She does not cease to be a slave, but ceases being enslaved to that person, as he relinquishes his ownership of her, but not his own manhood and mastery. The necessity for this though is minimal for the nature of a Gorean Master/slave relationship, at least one truly founded in the philosophy upon which such is based, does not normally create situations of such an extreme nature as to be threatening to the slave. Also, this sort of relationship does not find its actual fulfillment through participation in the same potentially harmful forms of activity that certain BDSM ones do, and in fact is usually exclusive of many of these things. While both the submissive and the slave may be responding to natural urges, fantasies, and desires they each have, the slave is doing so in a much fuller sense, while the submissive often does so in a limited form that serves only to answer a portion of one's sexually driven desires. The objectives in each case are also different. The submissive is seeking to release certain urges through interaction with another, much like one would sexually. The slave is seeking to embrace what she feels is the truth of herself in a constant and consistent way. Female Slaves
Female slaves in Sardaria are of the type suggested in the Gorean novels. While the institution of slavery obviously does not exist in our modern society, what is practiced within the lifestyle is a form that is based upon the philosophies exemplified by Gorean culture and those ideas which comprise the basis of legalized slavery on that fictional world. While it is impossible to completely recreate the environment that exists in such a culture, it is very possible to live by the beliefs and customs which define it. This is what is sought to be achieved in this community and what is required of those that are accepted as a part of it. Sardaria is not a BDSM club, singles dating service, fantasy reenactment society, or gaming group, and we do not wish it to become any one of these things. In saying this we are not condemning what others do, but simply stating it is not what we do, and that those who seek such things are directed to search elsewhere, being wished luck in finding what they are looking for. Living this lifestyle as a slave is not a matter of just being in a particular kind of Master/slave relationship. It is something that should be the result of a natural inclination towards "slavery" and things Gorean, coupled with an active understanding and acceptance of those ideas and themes which comprise what the word Gorean means, and together manifested in the application and display of these principles in one's daily life. In all, it is something that should be based in an honest acceptance of one's very nature, a recognition of personal truth that comes from inside the individual and is faced without embellishments or denials. Fictional characters of the sort created in a game really have no place in this type of community, for it is built upon reality with real people being its solid base. Those of Sardaria simply are who they are, regardless of the setting they find themselves in or whatever they may face in life. While a fictional atmosphere may be utilized at times, the only things assumed are externals, not personas, with the philosophical and cultural ideas presented in the novels being the basis of a lifestyle, not character creation in a game. The presented discussion constituting - Entering - Slaves - is a further exploration of some of the themes underlying the idea of Gorean slavery and one's involvement with such things. Male Slaves
Though not well tolerated and of a limited lifespan, male slaves fictionally exist on Gor, but even so, they do not as a part of our non-fictional community. Any outsiders who wish to scoff at this and argue that "if this were Gor, then some would be present" can further imagine that if this were Gor, men who do not wish them in their presence would "remove" them. Existence in the Gorean novels is not argued, and nonexistence in our community is not arguable. "Switches"
A "switch" is a BDSM term describing a person who switches between the role of Master and slave, assuming the status of dominant or submissive as the mood takes them. Besides the simple fact that those of Sardaria are not assuming or playing "roles," this concept is in itself contradictory to the most fundamental principles of Gorean philosophy and is not acceptable in a community developed in accordance with its themes, particularly not this one. Ownership
"Ownership" is representative of a particular type of relationship existing between a man and a slave, with a "collar" being the external symbol of this bond. It is obvious that in modern society one individual cannot legally "own" another, but that is not what is referred to by this word in this case. Here, "ownership" is a term used to represent the entering of a consensual relationship within which one individual has surrendered her free will to that of another. For this kind of relationship to truly exist, it should fit the word that is used in reference to it, meaning that for "ownership" to be real, the feelings and commitment that constitute such a word, and its particular usage in this case, should be a reality to those involved, and not just something that exists in individual hopes and dreams. While in many online circles, "collars" may be given and taken away in response to a moment's fling or whoever has caught the eye this week, in Sardaria such things are not thrown around like a form of temporary, online "tag." They are not a sign of some sort of "online dating" between a Master and slave, and are not some sort of pretend thing done between two people who know they are never going to meet, will never truly be together, are already in other committed relationships, or have no honest basis in reality upon which to found their claims. A personal collar is a symbol of an actual relationship, with a depth of involvement that reflects what the word "ownership" means. A slave that is personally owned by a man of Sardaria is automatically considered a part of the community. This accords a great responsbility on those involved. It is expected that before any "collaring" occurs, serious consideration will be put into the decision and what it is supposed to signify. Even if only a slave, a collar connects that woman to the community in a recognizable way, and thus makes her something of a representative of not only the individual whose collar she wears, but the community of which he is a part. Also, it is expected that the possibility of collaring a slave will not lead to conflict within the community, and if such is possible, the situation will be faced and respect accorded to the community and the free persons within it. Multiple Ownership
While masters can have more than one slave, a slave obviously has only one master. You cannot be collared to more than one man at a time, and deception with regard to this will not be tolerated. Slaves cannot be a part of this community if they are already owned by a person who is not of Sardaria. Community Slaves
It is possible for a slave girl of proven worth to be accepted within the community without actually being owned by a single individual who is a part of it. Such girls are recognized as slaves within the group, much like those personally owned, and likewise are not actually members, but property. They are held accountable to all in the community, much like any other slave would be, and are expected to act in a manner fitting their place in the world. The consent issues defined throughout this website are obviously applicable to community slave girls, adapted to fit the type of slavery they are in. While personally owned slaves surrender their will fully to their master's, community slaves are expected to do the same to the community itself, but this surrender comes with a wider degree of consent choices. While such slaves are expected to respect, obey and serve the entire community, they are not expected to partake in personal relationships or intimate involvements with any and all citizens so desiring. These activities and others like them must be consensual. Furthermore, requests or questions posed by those outside of Sardaria are to be referred to the community itself for answer. Community slaves achieve this status much in the same way an unowned girl attracts the ownership of a Sardarian, through proving her worth to those of the community. In this case though, she must prove herself to a number of people over a period of time. Community slavery is not a replacement for a personal collar, and should not be misunderstood as being some form of surrogate relationship. It is intended to provide the opportunity for acceptable slaves to be directly involved in the group we have created, and through it, explore themselves more deeply in an environment that is beneficial to this exploration. Likewise, it is contributory to the development of the overall environment that has been created, for such a place should consist of a variety of men and women within the bounds of the particular lifestyle and philosophy this community is founded in. In this way, it is further beneficial to each individual's own exploration of self, as masculinity and femininity are both complimentary parts that are fed from the exposure to one another. Wearing of Collars
The wearing of an actual collar on a day to day basis offline is of course up to the discretion and preference of the given owner. In the case of a personally owned slave, this is obviously decided by the man involved. In the case of community slaves, collars are worn when appropriate, as dictated by situation, safety and suitability. Within the confines of the community, particularly during offline Gatherings, slaves are collared at all times. Slaves in the online setting are to clearly indicate what they are and who their owner is. On AOL this is done through the use of a statement within the SN profile. On a message board this is stated right after or below one's name. In other online environments the owner will decide what is appropriate. While having its purpose and place, a collar is only an external symbol and reminder of things that are inside of the slave -- who and what she is, and who she is committed to. The collar does not create these things or make them occur, and while it can be a useful tool in reminding the girl of them, and can be something she enjoys, the reality of her nature and fulfillment is found in far more important things than a ring of steel. Protection Collars and Training Collars
The custom of giving "protection collars" or "training collars" to slave girls is not one practiced by those of Sardaria, for it only cheapens and mocks what a true collar is. Such things really have nothing to do with Gor, and are supposed to represent some sort of partial connection between a master and a submissive, one often invoking an image of weak-willed noncommittal. But to do so also implies the girl has more worth than her lot and that she may call upon an obligated free person for aid. The obligation is on the slave towards the master, not the other way around, and training does not necessitate the need of a cute and special sort of collar, only the act of training. A slave that is owned may be given the "protection" of those other than her owner if the owner requests it, but no form of collar or other symbolism is needed. In this case it is not the slave that is being protected, but rather the owner's property. Consent
(The following is a continuation of a section under the same name found in "General Procedures and Customs.") No slave may be "forced" into a collar (this should not even need to be said, considering "reality"). All such relationships must be consensual, as must be any offline interaction, meetings and commitments. Collared slaves are the jurisdiction of their masters, with their limits being defined by the man who owns them. Upon collaring, consent is considered to have been given in all things by the slave to her owner. Her activities and involvements are up to his discretion, with requests and questions being referred to him. If a command given to a slave is contradictory to a standing order of her master, that slave is expected to privately and politely inform the other of her owner's wishes. Any possible ensuing problems are to be directed to the owner to be handled by him, not by the slave. Such commands are not an excuse to act in a fashion other than a slave. Handling HNGs
A Gorean slave girl is a slave girl at all times. This includes not just those events and moments that are enjoyable or expected, but those that are less savory and include interaction with obvious non-Gorean and immature types. Contact with anything ranging from predators and stalkers to cyber-geeks and children is no reason for a slave to forget her place. While she is not expected to involve herself with these people in any serious way, and is not directed to engage herself with minors, she does not need to assume behavior that is contradictory to what she is. Simply excuse yourself politely from the conversation, "blocking" or shutting off the computer if necessary, and proceed to contact your master or another free person of Sardaria if the problem seems to require special attention or notification. Expression of ::Thoughts:: in a Room
On AOL, thoughts and actions are expressed in dialogue though the use of "::" at the beginning and end of the given description, for example:
::enters the room, wondering who fired the maid::Expression of thoughts and actions has an obvious place in an online setting, but they are not an excuse to "publicly think" things you don't want to be held accountable for, as in the case of disparaging remarks, inappropriate comments, back talk, and other insolent actions that are not in keeping with a slave's place. Whatever is displayed in a room can and will be acted upon. If anyone desires some sort of reasoning behind this, other than the simple answer "because we say they will be," than take it that thoughts expressed in a room are like body language being read. If no one can see, hear, or read your thoughts, than they should not be expressed in the room for all to see. Thoughts are not an excuse for a slave to insult or question a Master and think they can get away with it, so do not use them in that way. "Drama"
While slaves are expected to be somewhat jealous and wanting of attention, unnecessary "drama" with the intent to manipulate is neither wanted nor tolerated. Petty intrigues between slaves will exist, but their existence is never to annoy or inconvenience free persons. Those that seek to somehow pit one master against another through manipulation will meet with a harsh reaction from the entire city. Mind your own business when it comes to others, and do not lose track of the fact you are supposed to be a slave. Your attention should be on your master and not what others are doing. "Attention Getters" are not welcome in the community. If you are the type who likes to fall down and get hurt a lot, "cry wolf," get "stolen" daily, pout and cry, mope in the corner cause you feel no one loves you, etc, find another group to plague with your involvement. Individuals are as "popular" as they deserve to be, based upon how interesting and dedicated they are, to say the least of their personal display. If you sit quiet in a corner or wait for mailed invitations, you cannot expect people to take notice of you. For that matter, if you constantly seek attention through annoying and self-centered actions, you will most likely be viewed as a bothersome child.
