(Sanctuary, my favorite Queensryche song by the way -lol-)
But even though you may be of a particular Caste, your
OCCUPATION may be something altogether different! For example, a woman in the Caste of Metal Workers would never make weapons (BIG no-no), but might run errands to purchase materials.
"Whereas caste membership is commonly connected with the practice of an occupation, such as agriculture, or commerce, or war, there can be, of course, caste members who are not engaged in caste work and individuals who do certain forms of work who are not members of that caste commonly associated with such work." — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 212-213.
"It is said on Gor that only slaves, Outlaws and Priest-Kings, rumored to be the rulers of Gor, reputed to live in the remote Sardar Mountains, are without caste. This saying, however, it might be pointed out, as Gorean recognize, is not strictly true. For example, some individuals have lost caste, or been deprived of caste; some individuals have been born outside of castes; certain occupations are not traditionally associated with caste, such as gardening, domestic service and herding, and, indeed, there are, entire cultures and peoples on Gor to whom caste is unknown. Similarly, caste lines tend sometimes to be vague, and the relation between castes and sub castes. Slavers, for example, sometimes think of themselves as being of the Merchants, and sometimes as being a separate caste. They do have their own colors, blue and yellow, those of the Merchants being white and gold. Too, are the bargemen of the Southern Cartius a caste or not? They think of themselves as such, but many do not see the matter in the same light." — Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 210-211.
"There at various benches, attending to their work, measuring and stirring were apprentice perfumers though one is commonly born into a caste one is often not permitted to practice the caste craft until a suitable apprenticeship has been served. This guarantees the quality of the caste product. It is possible though it is seldom the case, that members of a caste are not permitted to practice specific caste skills, though they may permitted to practice subsidiary skills. For example, one who is of the Metalworkers might not be permitted to work iron but might be permitted to do such things as paint iron, and transport and market it. Caste rights, of course such as the right to caste support in time of need and caste sanctuary when in flight, which are theirs by birth remain theirs. The women of a given caste, it should he noted, often do not engage in caste work. For example, a woman in the Metalworker does not, commonly, work at the forgot nor is a woman of the Builders likely to be found supervising the construction of fortifications. Caste membership, for Goreans, is generally a simple matter of birth, it is not connected necessarily with the performance of certain skills, nor the attainment of given level of proficiency in such skills. To be sure, certain skills tend to be associated traditionally with certain castes, a fact which is clearly indicated in caste titles, such as the Leatherworkers, the Metalworkers, the Singers, and the Peasants. A notable exception to the generalization that women of a given caste normally do not engage in caste work is the caste of Physicians, whose women are commonly trained, as are the boys, in the practice of medicine. Even the Physicians, however, normally do not admit their women to full Practice until they have borne two children. The purpose of this is to retain a high level of intelligence in the caste. Professional Women, it is well understood, tend not to reproduce themselves, a situation which, over time, would be likely to produce a diminution in the quality of the caste. Concern for the future of the caste, is thus evinced in this limitation by the physicians on the rights of their women to participate without delay in the caste craft. The welfare of the caste, typically takes priority in the Gorean mind over the ambitions of specific individuals. The welfare of a larger number of individuals as the Goreans reason, correctly or incorrectly. Is more important than the welfare of a smaller number of individual I do not argue this." — Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 209-210.
