John Norman

John Norman is the pen name of John Frederick Lange, Jr. (born June 3, 1931), a controversial, reactionary philosopher and Utopian/soft science fiction novelist best known for his "Chronicles of Gor" and its male dominant/female submissive BDSM content. Lange is a philosophy professor at Queens College of the City University of New York. Professor Lange holds a PhD in Philosophy from Princeton University. Followers of Norman's philosophy are termed Goreans.

Books

Science fiction:

"Chronicles of Gor," also "Chronicles of Counter-Earth" (1967-2001)
"The Telnarian Histories" (1991-1993)

Historical fiction:

"Time Slave" (1975)
"Ghost Dance" (1979)

Nonfiction:

"Imaginative Sex" (1974)

Norman started out by imitating Edgar Rice Burroughs to some degree, and his influential Gor series contains parallels to Burroughs' John Carter of Mars (especially the first few Gor books). His novels include lengthy philosophical and sociological dissertations contrasting the malaise of modern society (everything from common dishonesty to nuclear holocaust) with the remedial beauty of natural society. Placing emphasis on living in accordance with a Nietzsche-esque natural order, he sponsors a hierarchy of talent.

From this hierarchy and his use of evolutionary psychology to analyse gender differences, he then suggests that woman is the submissive natural helper, and figurative slave, of dominant man. His work often, but not always, takes this observation literally: heroes enslave heroines who, upon being enslaved, revel in the discovery of their natural place. Norman and Goreans have been criticised for this tenet of what they consider honouring nature.

Personal Views

Some enthusiasts believe "Imaginative Sex" indicates that Norman is not a misogynist but rather a pioneer in human sexual behaviour firmly entrenched in BDSM's fantasy and safe, sane and consensual elements. However, this favourable reading is by no means universal; lesbians and feminists are presented in a very poor light, and the book casts women almost exclusively in a submissive role.

Norman, also a political activist, modified his alignment from conservative to libertarian during his effective censorship. The extent to which he himself is Gorean is unclear.

Career

Norman's career as a philosopher/writer underwent four stages:

Early 1950s-early 1960s: Norman begins his academic career. He obtains his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska in 1953, and his Master of Arts degree from the University of Southern California in 1957. While at USC he married Bernice L. Green. Norman became a Doctor of Philosophy in 1963 from the Princeton University.
Late 1960s-early 1980s: Norman becomes wildly popular. His rise may be attributed to the willingness of rebellious or disaffected Americans during this period to consider his social alternatives.
Mid 1980s -mid 1990s: Increasing political correctness, especially feminism, prompted consumers and interest groups to take action against the sale of Norman's books, including petitioning retailers. Norman's books were removed from bookstores and libraries, and Norman accused publishers of blacklisting him.
Late 1990s-present: Acceptance of BDSM and growth of the Internet allowed the resurgence of Norman's ideas without the consent of normal publishing channels. Goreans assembled on the Internet and in real life while smaller publishers attempted, with limited success, to "bring Norman back."

External links

(This entry in the BDSM Dictionary incorporates text from the John Norman article in Wipipedia.)

This entry is published under the terms of the GFDL. People with profiles on Informed Consent can improve this entry: see the BDSM Dictionary help page for details.