15th Rant: The decline of online Gor

When I started this blog I originally did not want to rant about online roleplay, but from what I had read and what happened recently this needed to be said.

from http://kharog.tripod.com/diatribe1.html

WHAT HAPPENED TO GOR?

In October, 1998, I had stumbled across a Gor section while I was chatting on Chatropolis. At the time I knew nothing of Gor, so I walked into the Kassar Camp which at the time was led by Ubar BLADE. The name I used was Worf, a Klingon Warrior. Now before I get bashed and trashed because I chose a Klingon let me explain just WHY I chose that persona. I am a big Star Trek fan, and I chose a Klingon persona because they value honor over everything. Hence, the reason why whenever either I or somebody else departs I always wish them HONOR and Success. I stayed in the Camp about an hour, and then left because as many of you know I have no computer at home so I use the college or public library computers and depend on the public transportation system. The following week I found out about WebMaze and entered the Tuchuk Camp there which at the time was led by Ubar KNIGHTSTORM. I observed and asked many questions about both the Camp and the website, taking in what I had seen and read. I do not know if it was on my first or second visit to the Camp but I noticed a Member was a little upset about something so I asked him what was bothering him and helped the best I could, though I was not a Member of the Camp. Later that day before I left for the bus this Member came to me and asked if he could speak with me in PM. I approved and he asked me if I was a member of a Home. I told him no and he said that he would speak with the Ubar and see if I can become a Member based on what I had done earlier that day in trying to help him in his distress. The following week the Ubar spoke with me and made me a member of the Camp. During the time I was a member I got to meet many people who to this day I will never forget, no matter what name they use now. I also learned a little more about Gor and what it means to be truly Gorean. Also during my time in Tuchuk I was able to be online more often and eventually was named to the position of GateKeeper. In late November to early December GreyEagle, the Member that I had helped out my first or second day visiting the Camp, had opened the Kataii Wagon Camp and asked if I can help him open it and build it. I accepted the offer and during my time as First Shield there I had acquired a slave and was also honored to be a Member of the House of GreyEagle. During my time in the Camp I was able to be online a lot more and one time did something to the Ubara of what was then Chatlantis Tuchuk West, which I am still kicking myself in the ass to this day. Also during that time a Warrior had entered the Camp and became a Member, then somehow slithered his way to be above me both in rank and in stature. I did not like it and so I resigned from both the House of GreyEagle and from Kataii, thereby incurring the wrath of the House and the Camp. I came back to KNIGHTSTORM's Tuchuk Camp which was by this time located in ErosChat. I had hoped that there I can begin anew without harm from the GreyEagles, but I was found and then decided to kill myself off to begin anew. Was I dishonorable in doing that? As I look back on that incident I was, but I learned from that and grew more and more as a Gorean.

Even when I did start anew as Kharog tai Meshtarc (my current persona) I had problems, but life is hard, and as the saying goes "If life deals you lemons make lemonade." In other words, life is hard, but make the best out of what life dealt you. I had been injured many times on various sites, captured once by a band of Panthers on AlterRealm, moved from Home to Home because of political maneuverings, FC'ed twice only to see them blow up in my face, built a Home of my own (Fort Kahless) only to see it go down the tubes, but I remained strong and firm in what I believe in.

I am writing this not as a sob story but rather to let all know what Gor was like back before 2000. Back then there were no "death matches," no whiney slaves or pain sluts, no major name-calling like there is now. Back then there were only a few sites which offered a limited amount of Gorean rooms, and with the small amount back then at least if there were arguments or disagreements it was settled peacefully and not with violence. Granted Gor is a violent world, but at least things were settled like men before things got into one big "flame war" on a message board. Back then people did not fight over petty things, slaves were not as mouthy or sassy as some of them are now. I challenge each and every one of you out there, myself included, to bring Gor back to what it was when I first started out in 1998. I am not talking site wise when I speak of this. Rather I am talking philosophy and behavior wise, as I noticed a lack of respect and HONOR among many toward each other as well as toward themselves. If we work on bringing honor back to our lives and our Homes, if we get back to the books, then we would not have the problems we are facing with today.
If anyone disagrees with me, or if you agree with me, feel free to contact me via email or ICQ. My email addresses are rickbulow@iwon.com and kharog@iwon.com and my ICQ number is 130590002. I wish A/all HONOR and Success, for without them all else, including life, is worthless.

Those words, penned by me in 2001, hold true to this day. I had left in 2003 becaquse I thought I had failed as a Leader and as a Warrior, but now I realize that I had not failed in Gor but rather that Gor had failed me. Where were the times in which people led by HONOR and also who held true to what they believed in? I know if the shit I hear about on the Boards happened back before 2000 that things were done about it swiftly and that would be the end of it, not taken to a Message Board for people to air their dirty laundry in public.


from http://kharog.tripod.com/newspaper_articles/honorarticle.html

Been Thinking About....Honor
by Kharog tai Meshtarc
2nd of the GateKeepers
WebMaze Thentis

Honor: Many on Gor that I have seen state that they know what it is and that they are honorable, but do they really? Granted, my name and the pictures I use are not totally of Gor, nor do I claim to be full Gorean. However, I will say this much: If you cannot fail, you cannot succeed.

What do I mean by that statement? Simply this: One cannot truly experience the feelings that honor brings without first having the capability to feel and comprehend the utter lack of it. To me, honor is what makes me keep going despite the trials and tribulations of everyday life. I am reminded of what a few people had written about honor in earlier articles of the Gorean Times, that honor is a "knowing that what one is doing is right and decent and correct."

Expanding on that comment, I am reminded of a Warrior who is now dead who honorably defended and served His Homestone, yet at the same time, there was another Warrior, who is also now dead, who achieved His honor in a dishonorable way. Now I ask you: Of the two Warriors, which one showed loyalty, honor, and duty, which all Goreans, be it slave or Free, strive for? Was it not the One who achieved His honor the honorable way?

I leave you with this one thought, and if there are any who read this and disagree with anything I had said, feel free to email me at kharog@gocubs.com; kharog@angelfire.com; or feel free to look for me in WebMaze Thentis. The thought is: Honor is more important than life.

I wish all Honor and Success.

AFTERTHOUGHT

Those words, which I wrote over 2 years ago, still ring true today. Honor is tantamount to A/all, whether Free or slave, Warrior, Merchant, or even Panther Girl. Any thoughts, feelings, or questions on the article I had written, or even on this afterthought, feel free to email me at my new email address which is kharog@iwon.com or you can contact me via ICQ number 130590002.

Both statements were written during my first excursion on Gor, and they hold true today. Many of you who knew me as Kharog and as Worf still know that I am out here and am holding true to my words. I might have changed my appearance and character, but one thing I have not changed is the heart and the love for Gor that I held so true back then. If any have a problem with what I say, feel free to post on this blog entry, on the message boards, or hit me up on MSN or Yahoo or even in an email. You can even find me as I traverse Gor. I go by Maximus and am always willing to talk things over like reasonable men.

Let us never forget this day

I know I will not. In fact, I remember exactly where I was on this day 5 years ago when I first heard about the plane striking the World Trade Center. I was at a McDonald's enjoying breakfast and listening to a local sportsradio broadcaster broadcast live from there when he broke for his 45 minutes past the hour break. I was about to walk over to him during the break and say that I wanted to speak about Michael Jordan's return to basketball and play for the Washington Wizards when I looked at his face which is that of shock. At first report it seemed to me like a small plane and that it was a freak accident, but when I heard of the second plane hit the World Trade Center I knew that this had to be some sort of planned attack. I spent the entire 9:00 hour glued to his little broadcast station as he had a set of headphones which I listened to the producer back at the station speak to him and updating him. There were other callers who chimed in with updates from the televised newscasts. After the show ended I hung around for a small time listening, then the host's dad offered to drive me to teh college where I could watch the TV in the library as well as get current updates on the internet. While en route I phoned my mom and stepdad to tell them what had happened. My stepdad told me that he had heard about it and that mom was going to get me and tell me but she saw that I was gone. When I went into the library at the college to watch the news, I almost fell to the floor upon seeing the planes striking the Towers and the Pentagon. About 11:45 I got word that the college was closing and called my grandma in Chicago to ask her if she and dad knew what was happening. She said that dad was on the way to the store but that they knew what was going on. After I spoke to grandma I went home and kept the news on the TV all the time, gasping and getting angry as to what happened.

I urge people to NEVER forget this day for as long as they live. I encourage everyone no matter where they are that if they have the American flag to unfurl it and wave it proudly, for as Frankin Delano Roosevelt said of another terrible day in American History, "This is a day which will go down in infamy."

It is amazing how 5 years later, the horrific events of 9-11 still affects people. A lady who checked the terrorists onto that first flight that hit the towers killed herself because she couldn't deal with the guilt. Also, another checker who did the second flight.... is still five years later in intense therapy. This I had found out from a woman who I had seen in a chat room where I visit often. I guess this is a lot like Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

14th rant: Bush bashing

one thing that really gets my fires stirring is the people who claim that George W. Bush is a bad President and that we should not dupport him. I say that he won reelection in 2004 and that he is president not only of the red states but also of the blue states as well. Granted, he made some bad decisions in his 2 terms, but who has not? The military likes him and there are people in the military who support him no matter what. Is that not enough for us?

Update on this Ranter

After a year's hiatus, I am back and ready to rant on anything sports, politics, or current events of both National and local importance. Check in daily for any new rants, and sorry for not ranting for a while.