DeSade:

"I would like to throw out another question, just to muddy the waters and really throw a monkey wrench in the works. . . .

Are thos who adopt and live a Gorean lifestyle any more or less eccentric than those who chose to immerse themselves in such lifestyles as the Star Wars iniverse or the Star Trek lifestyles. I know individuals who speak fluent Klingon, wear the uniforms and civilian dress and atempt to adopt the customs and lifestyles of their respective adoptive alternate universe. Just because those who adopt Gor tend toward a BDSM style relationship doesn't or shouldn't make them any less acceptable?"

Funny about the Star Trek thing. I'm a huge fan (as in I have all ten moveis, and 14 of the 28 production seasons of the franchise on DVD, and I've not finished yet ), and I've had the conversation before, in relation to Gor. Someone opposed to it said "you love it, but you don't actually walk around in a uniform or anything do you?", and my answer was basically no, I don't. There's "enjoying the work" and then there's living vicariously through it.

Ironwulf:

"To say that the gorean lifestyle is about walking around in some uniform with a sword or wearing a mask to look like some alien is ridiculous. I have never seen anyone who thinks they are a Preist-King or Gorean Warrior except possibly on halloween."

I've read a blog or two that begs to differ. In fact that's where the debate involving the Star Trek/Gor comparison with a friend came from in the first place. But that leads me to another point.

I think perhaps one of the best points I've had made to me on this is that with the internet, there are people in *every* group that are taking things as far as they can, and that the whole of a group should not be judged as such. The problem is those people are normally the most vocal (despite having the least to say). Indeed, much as BDSM as a whole is misjudged by people who don't know what it really is, I'm sure Gor suffers much the same. Partially that's due to the kind of imagery that is out there that happens to sell, as it really doesn't give a good sense of what either actually is.

EDIT: I want to make it clear that "despite having the least to say" line is in no way in reference to anyone in this thread, or even on this site. It was designed as a comment about the sheer amount of free speech available on the internet, and what certain people use it for. On re-reading it I thought it might be best to clairify that to avoid any confusion.