It seems to me that in a lot of Sci-fi, societies must be either very good or very bad. I don't like that very much. I really like reading fanfiction where the Galatic Empire in Star Wars are presented as the good guys, because in a very real sense they were, except at the top. So I'm writing a society that I'm not sure is either good or bad because I infused it with both. Tell me what you think:
This is America circa 2076:
There is no pretention to harmonous racial or ethnic co-existence. The theory that dominates most, if not all, of the world concerns the ethnic and the citizens. As Carlos Mencia remarked, "oh, I'm Mexican-American, but you White <curse word> get to be American" to which my main character Charlotte would reply: <curse word> straight. All white groups, with notable excpetions are believed to have come together to form the American ethnic group, hereafter refered to a Gringos.
America is soley the possession of the Gringos. Immingrants, non-assimilating whites like the Amish, and Jews (though all the Jews have left by this time) and all people of color are 'merely' citizens. However, this is not quite as stable as it is in our time because genetic reconstruction allows a person to change their race, sex, or other things. The belief among whites is that if a colored person wants to truly be American, they will cut all ties with Africa, India, whatever and 'assimilate.' People who do this are called blancharos, a spanglish insult. Charlotte is actually of blancharo decent, in this case Latino, but considers herself nothing but white. There is some discrimination against blancharos in public, and while the authorities will often overlook discrimation for colored people, as they are a foreign presence which refuses to assimilate, but blancharos have done everything possible to become American. Nonetheless, citizenship is given at birth to all people and every one vote in free and fair elections.
People of color, if they prove themselves loyal and more American than the Americans can achieve great power. On of Charlotte's black friend has a father who is a very influential priest and blacks run several (mostly white)towns in the story. Most people of color are respected, litterally as seperate but equal. Nonetheless there is a general contempt for blacks, and Charlotte represetns a rather mainstream position that that balcks have never had a 'real' civilization, except for Ethiopia, but that blacks should return to Africa and build one and other peoples, particularly whites, should 'kick them in the <curse word> until they do.' It bears mention that these people place a high emphasis on the individual and while say contempt for blacks and praise for Germans is appropriate at first, it may not be founded in a particular member of that group. And in the end, evaluation must be based on merit. Charlotte, despite what she said earlier, respects George Washington Carver and a black general named Wild Bill Falstaff who destroyed Mexico City, among others.
Colored people are subject to differences, some of which are quite positive. First, because they are not 'real Americans' any war the U.S. finds itself in is not their responsibility. They are immune from the draft, or any other forced labor. They are subject to rationing and travel restrictions that Gringo are however. They have a different tax structure, a base 15% income is paid to the government. Whites at 30 must pay 75%, unless they are married, 65% (reduction of 10%), have 1 child, 55% (reuction of 20%) 2 children 35 (reduction of 20%) and three children 15% (reduction of 20%.) This is a society that is built around the idea that civilization functions only if the people work breed and fight. Having chidren is critical. Lastly, colored people can, without much trouble have the government pay for their blanching, or be paid an average years yage to go their country/continent of ancestory and "Forge your destiny elsewhere."
Racial segregation is not permited at all in government fascilities, and these are watched closely. In non-governmental affairs, there are few laws. Saftey laws are enforced, but people can be hired/fired at will for any reason including race, religion, ancestery, whatever. No one feels the government has any business stopping this even if they feel it is wrong. Protests are allowed as long as they do not disrupt lawful activity. That is to say Rosa Parks would get the <curse word> beat out of her for resisting a lawful command, though King's boycott would have been fine. Striking, spiting, throwing things at an officer in the military or law enforcement gives that officer the right to kill the assailant on the spot. Police in particular are carefully watched with this and must wear micro cameras at all times. If it is determined the officer was not accosted or deliberately provoked the assailant, the officer is either put to death or sentenced to life on a penal colony, I haven't decided if this is the one exception to the no death penalty matra of this society. Gun ownership is widespread and encourged and all student go through basic training in luie of Gym. Basically, the people have guns, the cops have bigger guns and the military has the biggest guns. Bad kids in school are not tolerated, especially in the inner city, where it is feared they will corrupt the minds of other colored kids. The bad kids are sent to special boarding schools were they are isolated and humiliated into submission.
The death penalty is abolished in most cases, though it is constitutionaly reserved for murder, rape, pediophillic crimes and treason. Instead inmates are sent to penal colonies were they are properly housed, fed and clothed but they work 12 hours a day, defraying the cost of housing them. The phillosophy is that punishment is not a deternent, reform is impossible because they don't WANT to reform and simply warehousing them, like we do now, is wasteful. They need to be removed and the government should pay as little as possible for it. If an inmate shows good behavior and ONLY if they show good behavior, are they allowed to earn a GED, learn a trade, that sort of thing.
In foreign policy, while coloreds existing in America in 2053 are grandfathered in, coloreds are not permited to set foot in the U.S. unless they are diplomatic personel, students (who must return home immediately after graduation) or tourists. The same is true of White ethnic groups except immigration is allowed, on the grouds that whites need no extra help to assimilate. If a colored person wishes to immigrate and has skills the government wants, the government will pay for their blanching. Now there is a differnce between Anglo blanching and Continental blanching. In Contenintal the immigrant must take a full name that is acceptable to the culture he's moving to, both first and last. In Anglo, especially American tradition only the first name needs be changed, so the name has some ethnic flavor, like Bronsky or Torres, etc. This also has the unwanted side effect of making discrimination against blancharos a little easier.
Americans are exceedingly brutal at war, but not as much as some. They have no porblem torturing POWs for information, but ONLY if they have info. They might also make POWs work on military projects and break the legs of escapees, but otherwise they follow Geneva III. Generva IV is another matter: all major powers have used chemical weapons, namely VX, to wipe out entire cities that resist them and they don't want to clear out. As far they are concerned, fortifing a city makes anyone in there a viable target. Americans have no qualms using ethnic cleasing, such as their plans to ethnically clease Tibet so after the war with China Tibet could be free again. They are willing to commit genocide, but in Charlotte's words: "Genocide is NEVER a shoot first measure."
Sexuality is complicated because unlike the Draka series, the sexual perversions are not indicative of a degenerate society, but a response to changing technology. Homosexuality can now be 'cured' via reconstruction. Hermephrodites and people who lose their gentals can be restored. All people are expected to marry, though interracial couplings are encouraged by Uncle Sam, they are not popular because Whites fear 'contamination' and colored people have to get their children blanched if the other parent is white (this includes blancharos). Bisexuality is permitted ONLY either before marriage or with the other partners written consent and adultery is punished by law. There are no no-fault divorces. Now there are two darksides to reconstruction, the first being that Transexualism can go the full monty, and such people are called snips. There is a group called the Tiresian Society that like the seer of old change sex every five to seven years. It is not unheard of that two children will have the same parents, but have a differnt mommy and daddy. This is horrifying to normal people. Commited snips HATE these 'vistors' and usually seek to live a normal life as their chosen sex.
Then there's incest, yes incest, because recontruction makes it possible to have healthy offspring with close relatives. In 2066, a large group of brother-sister couples marched on Washington, many with their children in tow, get federal recognition of their status. Unfortunately for them, a rumor spread that parent-grown child couples were among them and the police went to TOWN. Nonetheless, even in more liberal states where marrige between brother and sister was recognized, many went through the trouble of divorceing each other as siblings so they could be married properly. I don't know where my sympathies lie on this one. Charlotte considers incest not for her and figures it's OK to get snipped, until your first child. If you're that babie's momma you stay a woman forever.
There's a really dark undertone to this because there's a fear of Rohowa. In our time it that's a term racists use to describe all white people getting together and wiping out the coloreds. In Charlotte's time it describes a theoretical conflict where one ethnic group unites all humanity by killing all other ethnic groups. Ein Volk, Ein Fuerer, Ein Reich, that is how humanity will will be united so it may go into space and "rape the stars" (there's more than a little misanthorpy going on here).
Whites in general have both a persecution complex and and inferiority complex. They are teriffied over being "overrun" by colored people in their own lands, because in the long term it means they will be persucuted like Jews and burned in barns like Armenians, not because colored people are bad, but that's what human beings do to each other. The Gemans weren't bad people, but Hitler or no, one day they were going to get up, be tired of looking at the Jews, and kill them. This has a LOT to do with "Killer Ape Theory" and what they call the "Cain Effect", whereby the murderous brother kills the peaceful one and goes on to perpetuate the Human race while the peace loving Abel does not. For this reason people of color refer to whites are 'bonobos' peaceful chimps that have to hide from their aggressive cousins, because the chimps will rape and murder them and they don't have any means to fight back. Charlotte herself has killed thousands in establishing herself as a hero, and still subconsiously considers herself 'rape bait' for degenate males of all colors, mostly black. I'm not saying that's fair, and even Charlotte knows it's not fair, but it's instilled in her that colored people naturally hate her because she's not of their race and she naturally hates colored people because they're not of her race, and it's pointless to pretend it will ever be otherwise.
Anyway, that's the idea. I have no idea what this is, do you?
This is America circa 2076:
There is no pretention to harmonous racial or ethnic co-existence. The theory that dominates most, if not all, of the world concerns the ethnic and the citizens. As Carlos Mencia remarked, "oh, I'm Mexican-American, but you White <curse word> get to be American" to which my main character Charlotte would reply: <curse word> straight. All white groups, with notable excpetions are believed to have come together to form the American ethnic group, hereafter refered to a Gringos.
America is soley the possession of the Gringos. Immingrants, non-assimilating whites like the Amish, and Jews (though all the Jews have left by this time) and all people of color are 'merely' citizens. However, this is not quite as stable as it is in our time because genetic reconstruction allows a person to change their race, sex, or other things. The belief among whites is that if a colored person wants to truly be American, they will cut all ties with Africa, India, whatever and 'assimilate.' People who do this are called blancharos, a spanglish insult. Charlotte is actually of blancharo decent, in this case Latino, but considers herself nothing but white. There is some discrimination against blancharos in public, and while the authorities will often overlook discrimation for colored people, as they are a foreign presence which refuses to assimilate, but blancharos have done everything possible to become American. Nonetheless, citizenship is given at birth to all people and every one vote in free and fair elections.
People of color, if they prove themselves loyal and more American than the Americans can achieve great power. On of Charlotte's black friend has a father who is a very influential priest and blacks run several (mostly white)towns in the story. Most people of color are respected, litterally as seperate but equal. Nonetheless there is a general contempt for blacks, and Charlotte represetns a rather mainstream position that that balcks have never had a 'real' civilization, except for Ethiopia, but that blacks should return to Africa and build one and other peoples, particularly whites, should 'kick them in the <curse word> until they do.' It bears mention that these people place a high emphasis on the individual and while say contempt for blacks and praise for Germans is appropriate at first, it may not be founded in a particular member of that group. And in the end, evaluation must be based on merit. Charlotte, despite what she said earlier, respects George Washington Carver and a black general named Wild Bill Falstaff who destroyed Mexico City, among others.
Colored people are subject to differences, some of which are quite positive. First, because they are not 'real Americans' any war the U.S. finds itself in is not their responsibility. They are immune from the draft, or any other forced labor. They are subject to rationing and travel restrictions that Gringo are however. They have a different tax structure, a base 15% income is paid to the government. Whites at 30 must pay 75%, unless they are married, 65% (reduction of 10%), have 1 child, 55% (reuction of 20%) 2 children 35 (reduction of 20%) and three children 15% (reduction of 20%.) This is a society that is built around the idea that civilization functions only if the people work breed and fight. Having chidren is critical. Lastly, colored people can, without much trouble have the government pay for their blanching, or be paid an average years yage to go their country/continent of ancestory and "Forge your destiny elsewhere."
Racial segregation is not permited at all in government fascilities, and these are watched closely. In non-governmental affairs, there are few laws. Saftey laws are enforced, but people can be hired/fired at will for any reason including race, religion, ancestery, whatever. No one feels the government has any business stopping this even if they feel it is wrong. Protests are allowed as long as they do not disrupt lawful activity. That is to say Rosa Parks would get the <curse word> beat out of her for resisting a lawful command, though King's boycott would have been fine. Striking, spiting, throwing things at an officer in the military or law enforcement gives that officer the right to kill the assailant on the spot. Police in particular are carefully watched with this and must wear micro cameras at all times. If it is determined the officer was not accosted or deliberately provoked the assailant, the officer is either put to death or sentenced to life on a penal colony, I haven't decided if this is the one exception to the no death penalty matra of this society. Gun ownership is widespread and encourged and all student go through basic training in luie of Gym. Basically, the people have guns, the cops have bigger guns and the military has the biggest guns. Bad kids in school are not tolerated, especially in the inner city, where it is feared they will corrupt the minds of other colored kids. The bad kids are sent to special boarding schools were they are isolated and humiliated into submission.
The death penalty is abolished in most cases, though it is constitutionaly reserved for murder, rape, pediophillic crimes and treason. Instead inmates are sent to penal colonies were they are properly housed, fed and clothed but they work 12 hours a day, defraying the cost of housing them. The phillosophy is that punishment is not a deternent, reform is impossible because they don't WANT to reform and simply warehousing them, like we do now, is wasteful. They need to be removed and the government should pay as little as possible for it. If an inmate shows good behavior and ONLY if they show good behavior, are they allowed to earn a GED, learn a trade, that sort of thing.
In foreign policy, while coloreds existing in America in 2053 are grandfathered in, coloreds are not permited to set foot in the U.S. unless they are diplomatic personel, students (who must return home immediately after graduation) or tourists. The same is true of White ethnic groups except immigration is allowed, on the grouds that whites need no extra help to assimilate. If a colored person wishes to immigrate and has skills the government wants, the government will pay for their blanching. Now there is a differnce between Anglo blanching and Continental blanching. In Contenintal the immigrant must take a full name that is acceptable to the culture he's moving to, both first and last. In Anglo, especially American tradition only the first name needs be changed, so the name has some ethnic flavor, like Bronsky or Torres, etc. This also has the unwanted side effect of making discrimination against blancharos a little easier.
Americans are exceedingly brutal at war, but not as much as some. They have no porblem torturing POWs for information, but ONLY if they have info. They might also make POWs work on military projects and break the legs of escapees, but otherwise they follow Geneva III. Generva IV is another matter: all major powers have used chemical weapons, namely VX, to wipe out entire cities that resist them and they don't want to clear out. As far they are concerned, fortifing a city makes anyone in there a viable target. Americans have no qualms using ethnic cleasing, such as their plans to ethnically clease Tibet so after the war with China Tibet could be free again. They are willing to commit genocide, but in Charlotte's words: "Genocide is NEVER a shoot first measure."
Sexuality is complicated because unlike the Draka series, the sexual perversions are not indicative of a degenerate society, but a response to changing technology. Homosexuality can now be 'cured' via reconstruction. Hermephrodites and people who lose their gentals can be restored. All people are expected to marry, though interracial couplings are encouraged by Uncle Sam, they are not popular because Whites fear 'contamination' and colored people have to get their children blanched if the other parent is white (this includes blancharos). Bisexuality is permitted ONLY either before marriage or with the other partners written consent and adultery is punished by law. There are no no-fault divorces. Now there are two darksides to reconstruction, the first being that Transexualism can go the full monty, and such people are called snips. There is a group called the Tiresian Society that like the seer of old change sex every five to seven years. It is not unheard of that two children will have the same parents, but have a differnt mommy and daddy. This is horrifying to normal people. Commited snips HATE these 'vistors' and usually seek to live a normal life as their chosen sex.
Then there's incest, yes incest, because recontruction makes it possible to have healthy offspring with close relatives. In 2066, a large group of brother-sister couples marched on Washington, many with their children in tow, get federal recognition of their status. Unfortunately for them, a rumor spread that parent-grown child couples were among them and the police went to TOWN. Nonetheless, even in more liberal states where marrige between brother and sister was recognized, many went through the trouble of divorceing each other as siblings so they could be married properly. I don't know where my sympathies lie on this one. Charlotte considers incest not for her and figures it's OK to get snipped, until your first child. If you're that babie's momma you stay a woman forever.
There's a really dark undertone to this because there's a fear of Rohowa. In our time it that's a term racists use to describe all white people getting together and wiping out the coloreds. In Charlotte's time it describes a theoretical conflict where one ethnic group unites all humanity by killing all other ethnic groups. Ein Volk, Ein Fuerer, Ein Reich, that is how humanity will will be united so it may go into space and "rape the stars" (there's more than a little misanthorpy going on here).
Whites in general have both a persecution complex and and inferiority complex. They are teriffied over being "overrun" by colored people in their own lands, because in the long term it means they will be persucuted like Jews and burned in barns like Armenians, not because colored people are bad, but that's what human beings do to each other. The Gemans weren't bad people, but Hitler or no, one day they were going to get up, be tired of looking at the Jews, and kill them. This has a LOT to do with "Killer Ape Theory" and what they call the "Cain Effect", whereby the murderous brother kills the peaceful one and goes on to perpetuate the Human race while the peace loving Abel does not. For this reason people of color refer to whites are 'bonobos' peaceful chimps that have to hide from their aggressive cousins, because the chimps will rape and murder them and they don't have any means to fight back. Charlotte herself has killed thousands in establishing herself as a hero, and still subconsiously considers herself 'rape bait' for degenate males of all colors, mostly black. I'm not saying that's fair, and even Charlotte knows it's not fair, but it's instilled in her that colored people naturally hate her because she's not of their race and she naturally hates colored people because they're not of her race, and it's pointless to pretend it will ever be otherwise.
Anyway, that's the idea. I have no idea what this is, do you?
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