|
|
Post by Pawel on Apr 25, 2021 9:45:03 GMT
Hey people and cetes, Those of you who attended the Q&A call with Jeff on the 24th April, may have heard him mention that the writing team will be working on the social issues and movements aspect of the setting. An anarchic movement sprouting up on the floating city of Dyfed was given as an example. Year 2020 was dominated by social justice movements and it doesn't seem the coming years would be any different in that regard. The way we consume social media, the way we shape our identities in the globalising world, likely means that this part of our societal and cultural dynamics is here to stay - and perhaps shape into something even bigger or different in the future? So let's try and think about the most pressing, most common, most Blue Planet social issues that we could find on Poseidon in 2199, shall we? Once we do, we might be able to figure out which of them would sprout actual bigger or smaller social movements and political angles. - The first obvious point must be: pollution control, resource stability and all other aspects of environmental protection and preservation. That's the main theme of the entire game. GEO is doing its best to keep this issue in check, but there are groups highly dissatisfied with the status quo on both sides of the argument.
- Closely related, or even inseparable, are native rights on Poseidon versus GEO's imperialism and the Incorp rapid land grab. Anticolonialism is the second main theme of Blue Planet.
But there are other important social issues filling our BP campaigns!
It would be amazing if discrimination - not just systemic, but also simply cultural - was gone from the society as it is in 2199. A hopeful naive simpleton in me wants to believe that it might someday happen. Age, ethnicity, gender identity, nationality, religious beliefs, social castes, disabilities - it's rather depressing to list all of those, and they're only the tip of the iceberg. I let some of these slip into the disgraceful annals of history in the campaigns I run, but others are likely to be there to take their place! 
So, let's list those ideas!! I'll start.
- Cross-species intolerance. Treating humans as second-class citizens in the Hydrospan company town of New Fremantle was mentioned as an example during the Q&A call.
- Genie/Modi superiority or inferiority. Genetically "outdated" hybrids vs transhuman biomods for the ultra-rich.
- Poseidon politics shouldn't be an extension of Solar System politics - but it likely is exactly that, most of the time. If you're trying to build a settlement on an island visited by force 4 cyclonics twice a year, you'll get annoyed pretty fast that your resources and financial backing is dependent on political and economic games played out by whatever superpowers 40 light years away.
- Some immigrants adapt fast and eagerly to their new surroundings and communities, shedding their old skin and leaving it behind. Some expats hold onto their lingering identities all the harder. There would of course be middle ground as well, but I imagine very little synergy between the two extremes.
- Hegemony of Haven. Haven is a milk & honey country, when compared with most of the independent settlements or GEO-run but underfunded frontier towns. Inequality on Poseidon is very much as geographical as it's ever been on Earth. And, with the rapidly expanding human presence on the planet, it's only going to get worse.
- Local mythos-fueled cults and prophets. Religion can often fuel some very hot and pervasive fires, and Poseidon *speaks* to some people. And others listen. And suddenly Incorp CEOs and GEO administrators aren't the authority as much as they were when you were signing your contract.
|
|
|
|
Post by forgottenlore on Apr 25, 2021 14:47:10 GMT
You mention native rights, but a separate, related, issue, would be native/newcomer discrimination. Barbaric primitives who have gone feral vs incompetent buffoons who want everything handed to them.
Probably some movements wanting the aborig ... err.... neriads (sp?) recognized as a sapient species, possibly veering into religious reverence in a few cases.
|
|
|
|
Post by neil on Apr 25, 2021 15:07:56 GMT
Some drivers I can see.
Tribalism: I can see that tribalism was something vital to survive the Blight on Earth, and the small communities on Poseidon during the Abandonment. If you're in the in-group, people will be generous towards you as you're like family. But there's nothing spare for outsiders: they're shunned as someone who will take resources away from people in the tribe. This is what the Incorps are good at: micro-states, able to concentrate on being efficient at the smaller scales than the traditional nation-states. It means that markers of affiliation are everywhere; wearing your Incorp logo could mean the difference between life and death. This is probably fading on Earth, as the post-Blight recovery continues and people don't need to stay in their bunkers.
Egalitarianism: Following on from above, there would be less disparity of wealth in those groups. If we're all in it together, we pool resources so we can all survive. If you're rich, you're expected to use that wealth to support and protect those less fortunate.
Racism: Tied into the tribalism above. If you want to shun outsiders, there are plenty of outsiders that look very different. Hybrids, aquaforms, modis, and baseline humans will all look different from each other at a glance. Then there's the cetes...
Colonialism and paternalism: Every is very aware of the need to protect the environment and develop Poseidon sustainably. But no-one can agree on the best way to do it. Deep Blue Natives say everyone should live like neolithic Polynesians, and in small numbers. The GEO sees the need to co-ordinate everyone and take a global view. The Incorps know that their models are more successful than the GEO and the nation-states, so are off doing their own things, colonising Poseidon the way they want. Everyone is convinced they know best.
Gerentocracy: Longevity treatment is threatening to egalitarian ideals. As the trials of the Blight are easing, and you have the possibility of living forever, why spend effort helping out people who will be dead in a few decades, rather than looking to your own survival for centuries to come? There's a threat that wealth could become concentrated in a few ultra-rich people, like the Gilded Ages of early 20th and 21st centuries, but staying there forever. The writing is on the wall for this to come to pass.
The underclass: Poseidon is a gold-rush area. Lots of people have gambled everything on travelling to Poseidon and making it rich. Most of them have lost. That means there's a large number of people, in large towns like Haven and Harmony, living hand-to-mouth, with no connections to any of the support systems that exist for Natives or Incorps. These, I think, are the people most likely to be the source of a BLM-type movement, as they're the ones excluded from all means of support.
A bit of a ramble, but perhaps food for thought?
|
|
|
|
Post by Pawel on Apr 25, 2021 15:08:18 GMT
You mention native rights, but a separate, related, issue, would be native/newcomer discrimination. Barbaric primitives who have gone feral vs incompetent buffoons who want everything handed to them. Probably some movements wanting the aborig ... err.... neriads (sp?) recognized as a sapient species, possibly veering into religious reverence in a few cases. Oh yeah, natives vs newcomers is definitely one of the main Blue Planet social dynamics. But the sapient species topic... Now that is a fascinating battlefield for settlers, scientists and just about everybody else to butt heads on! The existence (and input!) of uplifted cetes would definitely complicate the psychological and philosophical front of the topic. I think the nereids, in most cases being more of an almost-confirmed myth rather than a recognized species, are a tantalising research subject for those who can afford such grants (and have the guts to try) but for the remaining colonists they're mostly either a boogieman - or, you're quite right, the opposite - the eyes/voice/will of the planet. I can definitely see protesters blocking GEO HIST or Incorporate xenozoology teams from "last rumoured nereid sighting" sites. And Poseidon's CommCore social & scientific debate channels are definitely rife with discussions on the topic. So yeah, great idea! There are also other candidates for this social issue - Schoolers! |
|
|
|
Post by Pawel on Apr 25, 2021 15:29:51 GMT
Some drivers I can see. Tribalism: I can see that tribalism was something vital to survive the Blight on Earth, and the small communities on Poseidon during the Abandonment. If you're in the in-group, people will be generous towards you as you're like family. But there's nothing spare for outsiders: they're shunned as someone who will take resources away from people in the tribe. This is what the Incorps are good at: micro-states, able to concentrate on being efficient at the smaller scales than the traditional nation-states. It means that markers of affiliation are everywhere; wearing your Incorp logo could mean the difference between life and death. This is probably fading on Earth, as the post-Blight recovery continues and people don't need to stay in their bunkers. Egalitarianism: Following on from above, there would be less disparity of wealth in those groups. If we're all in it together, we pool resources so we can all survive. If you're rich, you're expected to use that wealth to support and protect those less fortunate. Racism: Tied into the tribalism above. If you want to shun outsiders, there are plenty of outsiders that look very different. Hybrids, aquaforms, modis, and baseline humans will all look different from each other at a glance. Then there's the cetes... Colonialism and paternalism: Every is very aware of the need to protect the environment and develop Poseidon sustainably. But no-one can agree on the best way to do it. Deep Blue Natives say everyone should live like neolithic Polynesians, and in small numbers. The GEO sees the need to co-ordinate everyone and take a global view. The Incorps know that their models are more successful than the GEO and the nation-states, so are off doing their own things, colonising Poseidon the way they want. Everyone is convinced they know best. Gerentocracy: Longevity treatment is threatening to egalitarian ideals. As the trials of the Blight are easing, and you have the possibility of living forever, why spend effort helping out people who will be dead in a few decades, rather than looking to your own survival for centuries to come? There's a threat that wealth could become concentrated in a few ultra-rich people, like the Gilded Ages of early 20th and 21st centuries, but staying there forever. The writing is on the wall for this to come to pass. The underclass: Poseidon is a gold-rush area. Lots of people have gambled everything on travelling to Poseidon and making it rich. Most of them have lost. That means there's a large number of people, in large towns like Haven and Harmony, living hand-to-mouth, with no connections to any of the support systems that exist for Natives or Incorps. These, I think, are the people most likely to be the source of a BLM-type movement, as they're the ones excluded from all means of support. A bit of a ramble, but perhaps food for thought? Wow, it just occurred to me! I keep concentrating on natives surviving the Abandonment and developing their communities around those hardships - but you're absolutely right, the Blight would have spawned its very own model of tribalism! And how different the Blight's and Poseidon's models must be! How many delicious incompatibilities and misunderstandings between them both!! It's not just the privileged Incorps that differ from the natives in all ways of life. Hardnosed settlers coming to Poseidon now bring with them a terrible legacy and all its related psychosocial scars. Oooph, I gotta digest this. This is great stuff, Neil!!  I've been thinking about modern slavery and contract protection clauses on Poseidon. If you're a project manager - Incorp or GEO, doesn't really matter than much - you must in some way protect your investment from the dangers of Poseidon's overwhelming freedom and lawlessness. If you lose a quarter or more of your workforce during the first year of whatever mining operation, because your fresh recruits decide to drop out and find themselves greener pastures elsewhere, you're in trouble. Employment terms & conditions in Blue Planet must be terrible... as we can see among all those Indentured workers in Simushir!!  |
|
|
|
Post by neil on Apr 25, 2021 20:24:19 GMT
I can imagine this salutation being very devisive on Poseidon. "You mean that cetes aren't people? What are we then? Do we not have rights?" |
|
|
|
Post by neil on Apr 25, 2021 20:32:42 GMT
I've been thinking about modern slavery and contract protection clauses on Poseidon. If you're a project manager - Incorp or GEO, doesn't really matter than much - you must in some way protect your investment from the dangers of Poseidon's overwhelming freedom and lawlessness. If you lose a quarter or more of your workforce during the first year of whatever mining operation, because your fresh recruits decide to drop out and find themselves greener pastures elsewhere, you're in trouble. Employment terms & conditions in Blue Planet must be terrible... as we can see among all those Indentured workers in Simushir!! But, of you follow through my idea of the Incorp tribalism, there's a strong culture that people outside the Incorp are isolated, vulnerable, and soon dead. Why would people want to leave safety and head of to something so dangerous? Plus, emigration to Poseidon is rare and expensive. Only the most ideologically true citizens works be chosen to go. Perhaps having a loyalty mindjob is a requirement? Of course, nothing is perfect. There are many ways of pressuring someone to do something they may not choose to. But there's also probably a demand for black market mindjob reversals... |
|
|
|
Post by doublea on Apr 28, 2021 1:19:48 GMT
I've a couple I recall, though one I had to dig around to try and remember what book it was in.
There was a mention about people with 'obvious cyberware' like anatomical cyberware were looked upon as crazy, poor, or both. Additionally in that same section they pointed out that cetaceans disliked cyberware - Dolphins found it something like, upsetting or repulsive, and orcas just plain wanted nothing to do with it. I always thought that was an interesting contrast, maybe an underground cyberfetishist scene which would be super fringe considering. Now that being said I also always found the notion funny considering how many people these days would absolutely get 'chipped in' if they could!
Also in the original character creation section, they mention that pure-strain humans are rare, and usually either the extremely poor or fanatical. I definitely think it's an interesting mental exercise to imagine 'pure' humans as a social movement, and how terribly that would go on the waterworld. I can definitely imagine some religions especially eschewing cyberware and genetic modifications as taboo.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pawel on Apr 28, 2021 8:06:19 GMT
That's a lovely collection of social problems in the colony world that we're coming up. Let's also think about which of these could possibly grow big enough or sudden enough to spawn social movements - not just general sentiments in the populace but large groups of people organising under a common banner and fighting for their cause. Native anticolonialism is an obvious first choice and that's of course already present in the books. |
|
|
|
Post by neil on Apr 28, 2021 9:54:01 GMT
Let's also think about which of these could possibly grow big enough or sudden enough to spawn social movements - not just general sentiments in the populace but large groups of people organising under a common banner and fighting for their cause. Native anticolonialism is an obvious first choice and that's of course already present in the books. To make a social movement, you need a large group of people who are being ignored or oppressed by the status quo. I see two groups that fit the bill. First is the independent immigrants who tried to strike it rich but didn't get lucky. They're not part of any group, so don't have that community to support them. They're here and mostly destitute. The old Blight-era and Abandonment-era ways of thinking mean that all the larger groups (Incorps, GEO, Natives) are still conditioned on there not being enough resources to support everyone. No-one wants to help these people. But there is enough food and space to go around, it's just that these people are excluded from using it. Perhaps this is where "Free Poseidon" comes in: "Poseidon for Posiedoners": they're trying to make a world for all the people who live there, not remake Poseidon in the image of Earth. Second is Incorps. Jeff mentioned that the Incorps started as being innovative and nimble, in order to survive the Blight. But they're now more rigid and not so suited to the new situation: the Blight has ended, and this is a whole new world. Incorp facilities are full of younger, extremely talented and driven people who are surrounded by a new planet and are expected to come up with new ways of living. It could be those wage slaves, despite all the efforts of mindjobs, propoganda, and other means, are seeing that the Incorp governments on Earth are just irrelevant. How long until a large Incorp settlement declares independence? Who is actually around to stop them? |
|
|
|
Post by Pawel on Apr 28, 2021 10:43:40 GMT
Let's also think about which of these could possibly grow big enough or sudden enough to spawn social movements - not just general sentiments in the populace but large groups of people organising under a common banner and fighting for their cause. Native anticolonialism is an obvious first choice and that's of course already present in the books. To make a social movement, you need a large group of people who are being ignored or oppressed by the status quo. I see two groups that fit the bill. First is the independent immigrants who tried to strike it rich but didn't get lucky. They're not part of any group, so don't have that community to support them. They're here and mostly destitute. The old Blight-era and Abandonment-era ways of thinking mean that all the larger groups (Incorps, GEO, Natives) are still conditioned on there not being enough resources to support everyone. No-one wants to help these people. But there is enough food and space to go around, it's just that these people are excluded from using it. Perhaps this is where "Free Poseidon" comes in: "Poseidon for Posiedoners": they're trying to make a world for all the people who live there, not remake Poseidon in the image of Earth. Second is Incorps. Jeff mentioned that the Incorps started as being innovative and nimble, in order to survive the Blight. But they're now more rigid and not so suited to the new situation: the Blight has ended, and this is a whole new world. Incorp facilities are full of younger, extremely talented and driven people who are surrounded by a new planet and are expected to come up with new ways of living. It could be those wage slaves, despite all the efforts of mindjobs, propoganda, and other means, are seeing that the Incorp governments on Earth are just irrelevant. How long until a large Incorp settlement declares independence? Who is actually around to stop them? I tend to think, though I may be so very wrong, that independent colonists are a by-product of Poseidon's unpredictable economy and ecology (a business or colony project that completely flatlined, a settlement ruined by a weather event, etc.), rather than a "factionless faction" from the moment they arrive. With the queues and ticket prices being what they are, I usually assume that vast majority of Newcomers that aren't Incorp citizens or indentured workforce (good luck to those poor bastards) are part of GEO-sponsored or GEO-run colonisation efforts. And if it's not GEO, it will be a few of its biggest rivals, like the US or whatnot. So there's usually at least some infrastructure and contract clauses for them, I guess. Not sure if such people would think of themselves as independent. But global giants can't think of everything - or even if they can, they'll prioritise certain projects over others, so there are surely all sorts of business niches that need to be filled on the colony world. Regardless of the level of automation, a port tavern needs staff. And, unless Gendiver decides it would be cool to operate a chain of fishburger eateries, those places will be mostly staffed by... someone who waits years in a queue and spends a fortune to get themselves frozen for half a year. Someone who probably arrived on Poseidon to work in a meticulously planned settlement project and the crazy boomtown reality has temporarily or perhaps permanently put them in a role they probably never trained for. Following this trail of thought - which, again, may be flawed - many such newly minted independent Newcomers will definitely be deprived of central government protections, but I think many will also value their independence. Some of these people will of course feel wronged. But many will also shed old skins and integrate with rapidly developing communities and would not trade their new freedoms for the constraints of their previous jobs. I'm rambling, so I better go away and think about this some more. Certainly a fascinating topic! |
|
|
|
Post by neil on Apr 28, 2021 17:17:47 GMT
I tend to think, though I may be so very wrong, that independent colonists are a by-product of Poseidon's unpredictable economy and ecology (a business or colony project that completely flatlined, a settlement ruined by a weather event, etc.), rather than a "factionless faction" from the moment they arrive. With the queues and ticket prices being what they are, I usually assume that vast majority of Newcomers that aren't Incorp citizens or indentured workforce (good luck to those poor bastards) are part of GEO-sponsored or GEO-run colonisation efforts. And if it's not GEO, it will be a few of its biggest rivals, like the US or whatnot. So there's usually at least some infrastructure and contract clauses for them, I guess. Not sure if such people would think of themselves as independent. But global giants can't think of everything - or even if they can, they'll prioritise certain projects over others, so there are surely all sorts of business niches that need to be filled on the colony world. Regardless of the level of automation, a port tavern needs staff. And, unless Gendiver decides it would be cool to operate a chain of fishburger eateries, those places will be mostly staffed by... someone who waits years in a queue and spends a fortune to get themselves frozen for half a year. Someone who probably arrived on Poseidon to work in a meticulously planned settlement project and the crazy boomtown reality has temporarily or perhaps permanently put them in a role they probably never trained for. Following this trail of thought - which, again, may be flawed - many such newly minted independent Newcomers will definitely be deprived of central government protections, but I think many will also value their independence. Some of these people will of course feel wronged. But many will also shed old skins and integrate with rapidly developing communities and would not trade their new freedoms for the constraints of their previous jobs. I'm rambling, so I better go away and think about this some more. Certainly a fascinating topic! I think we differ in a matter of degree, not kind. I'm sure that everything you say is true. I was inspired by the California and Klondike gold rushes, where people sold up everything they had in the hope of striking it rich (and many didn't). I could see the same thing happening on the World of Hurt: people with no real prospects gambling everything on emigrating to Poseidon. Another source of unaffiliated newcomers on Poseidon will be the Incorps: defectors and escaped slaves. I have no good idea how many such people there would be. But these disparate sources could come together as a group that sees Poseidon as their home, with little connection to the Native experience and cut off from the larger support structures. Do they have a single identity yet? Do they have leaders? What would their demands be? I don't have answers to those questions. |
|
|
|
Post by Pawel on Apr 28, 2021 17:27:45 GMT
I tend to think, though I may be so very wrong, that independent colonists are a by-product of Poseidon's unpredictable economy and ecology (a business or colony project that completely flatlined, a settlement ruined by a weather event, etc.), rather than a "factionless faction" from the moment they arrive. With the queues and ticket prices being what they are, I usually assume that vast majority of Newcomers that aren't Incorp citizens or indentured workforce (good luck to those poor bastards) are part of GEO-sponsored or GEO-run colonisation efforts. And if it's not GEO, it will be a few of its biggest rivals, like the US or whatnot. So there's usually at least some infrastructure and contract clauses for them, I guess. Not sure if such people would think of themselves as independent. But global giants can't think of everything - or even if they can, they'll prioritise certain projects over others, so there are surely all sorts of business niches that need to be filled on the colony world. Regardless of the level of automation, a port tavern needs staff. And, unless Gendiver decides it would be cool to operate a chain of fishburger eateries, those places will be mostly staffed by... someone who waits years in a queue and spends a fortune to get themselves frozen for half a year. Someone who probably arrived on Poseidon to work in a meticulously planned settlement project and the crazy boomtown reality has temporarily or perhaps permanently put them in a role they probably never trained for. Following this trail of thought - which, again, may be flawed - many such newly minted independent Newcomers will definitely be deprived of central government protections, but I think many will also value their independence. Some of these people will of course feel wronged. But many will also shed old skins and integrate with rapidly developing communities and would not trade their new freedoms for the constraints of their previous jobs. I'm rambling, so I better go away and think about this some more. Certainly a fascinating topic! I think we differ in a matter of degree, not kind. I'm sure that everything you say is true. I was inspired by the California and Klondike gold rushes, where people sold up everything they had in the hope of striking it rich (and many didn't). I could see the same thing happening on the World of Hurt: people with no real prospects gambling everything on emigrating to Poseidon. Another source of unaffiliated newcomers on Poseidon will be the Incorps: defectors and escaped slaves. I have no good idea how many such people there would be. But these disparate sources could come together as a group that sees Poseidon as their home, with little connection to the Native experience and cut off from the larger support structures. Do they have a single identity yet? Do they have leaders? What would their demands be? I don't have answers to those questions. Oh yeah, you're absolutely right - slightly different routes, but the same observations.  Hmm, and yeah, the Longjohn rush definitely shouldn't be just an Incorp thing and independent prospectors shouldn't just be dropouts from other projects. Yup, I tend to focus too much on just a single route. We get independent communities like Harmony, strong enough to support their own and give GEO the finger. But in most cases it's going to be scattered nobody's citizens indeed. It's probably going to be just a matter of time before someone becomes their voice. Question is, will it be an anti-GEO voice or a "GEO, notice us" voice? Hmm, I think I remember this - I need to check. GEO claims all salvage rights on Poseidon, isn't that right? Salvage has always been a sore spot in government vs independents relations. |
|
|
|
Post by neil on Apr 29, 2021 7:39:32 GMT
We get independent communities like Harmony, strong enough to support their own and give GEO the finger. But in most cases it's going to be scattered nobody's citizens indeed. It's probably going to be just a matter of time before someone becomes their voice. Question is, will it be an anti-GEO voice or a "GEO, notice us" voice? That is a good question. There are lots of interesting ways it could play out. Will someone in the NGC make a bid for adopting those homeless, and make a bid for Posiedon world governance? |
|
|
|
Post by Pawel on Apr 29, 2021 7:42:39 GMT
We get independent communities like Harmony, strong enough to support their own and give GEO the finger. But in most cases it's going to be scattered nobody's citizens indeed. It's probably going to be just a matter of time before someone becomes their voice. Question is, will it be an anti-GEO voice or a "GEO, notice us" voice? That is a good question. There are lots of interesting ways it could play out. Will someone in the NGC make a bid for adopting those homeless, and make a bid for Posiedon world governance? NGC are definitely an attractive choice for the factionless, and a powerful player in Zion Islands and beyond. It's a beautiful complication for the GEO. |
|
Hmm, and yeah, the Longjohn rush definitely shouldn't be just an Incorp thing and independent prospectors shouldn't just be dropouts from other projects. Yup, I tend to focus too much on just a single route.