Randy Mootooveran

Worldbuilding

October 24, 2017

Xenar’s Culture

A culture centered on a hub for all the known alien races in the galaxy to do business. Everything is based around trading resources, knowledge, or services to another for personal benefit. Intermediates serve as the security force; special police units with authority to shoot to kill if deemed a threat to public safety. A council made up of five representatives is in charge of government.  Their decisions are based solely around logic.

Food comes from processing plants (essentially creating raw vitamins and nutrients and transforming it into the different forms, like taking gray paste and zapping it to look and taste like a burger, but still carry the cultivated vitamins. Most people prefer ordering food from off world colonies.

Of course, not everyone is happy with a capitalist focused culture. There’s a second political group who seek to make everything center around the nation as a whole where all are given the necessities to survive called the Atlantians. They believe in creating a “utopia” where the different species come together and unite under a single name. They want to break barriers and prejudice by adopting a Socialist style of mentality for everyone working together to make it possible. Ever since their inception, they always campaign to become members of the Council.

Xenar Nationalists (or Xenamax to most people) are made up of the native inhabitants of the planet who mostly strive to better their own race and no one else. They are constantly accused of racist speeches and rally’s throughout the years, and is considered more of a joke than an actual political movement. In tandem with their few numbers, no Xenamax representative has ever been a Council representative since the last one was assassinated 43 years ago at the height of a ruthless dictatorship.

Children are given a wide variety of career options, which their schools are mostly for educating them about each field (with only one or two classes about history, art, or science unless it relates to their future career). They are trained once they become teenagers and are released into the world to find their path. Once they exceeded the age limit or are incapable of doing their job well, the elderly have their own living quarters where they become advisors to all until death or mental decay. If the latter should happen, they get shipped off world or their family must take them somewhere else.

A popular myth is being who are cybernetic ally enhanced shed their soul in order to become as capable and methodical as the machine. Despite this, it's what people with physical or mental (brain implants) choose in order to be  as able- bodied as the rest of society

Marriage depends on the customs associated with each alien race. Some have multiple wives, some believe in spiritual attachments others stick to human tradition. What’s absolute for all of them are a couple must breed at least three children. Same sex is permitted as long as they register themselves and take jobs requiring they limit contact with children and don’t promote their relationship in public. Mixed breed citizens (human and alien) are uncommon, but on the occasion when they pop up, they are considered their own separate race. No one is segregated, mixed breeds aren't very common and are open to the same things as any regular human. 

Appearance depends on what type of job they have. Jumpsuits and oxygen masks are commonly worn, although there are designated districts for prostitutes. People are generally allowed to do whatever they want to their bodies as long as their work isn’t impacted by it. If there is a population shortage, then same sex relationships are strongly advised against and 

The general rule of Xenar is ‘work to better yourself and make better Xenar.” This could be as varied as becoming CEO of the biggest corporation to becoming a freelance artist. Respect your fellow citizens is also a popular one, although racism is not entirely dead. The native aliens have never been happy with the occupation of humans and other species on their homeworld. Humans have expanded greatly across the galaxy: on uninhabited worlds and occupied worlds. Most of these encounters have been through diplomacy and cooperation, with both parties assisting one another. Xenar 242 became an important focal point due its location. It rests in between one half of the galaxy where Earth is and the other half that remains uncharted. The Xenarians were hostile upon first contact, and still hold bitter feelings since they have never been appointed to the Council.
Social class is a tricky subject. Naturally, government officials and CEOs of major corporations have big paychecks, but they aren't considered "high society." They still eat at the same restaurants and sleep at the same hotels as everyone else. Their positions aren't locked, and are always open to be replaced. Keep in mind that if any of them are found to be power hungry are kept in check by Intermediates. It's for this reason that most rich individuals leave Xenar- 242 after making their fortune, since the planet is made up entirely of the working class. Anyone who does choose to leave has to make a charitable donation 36% of their salary. 
English is mostly the dominant language in any place outside of Earth. People who live or operate outside of Earth has to be fluent in it at the very least. If you're learning to be a diplomat, space explorer, or a high ranking official, then it's encouraged to learn more than English. People who can speak multiple languages are considered invaluable, and are the ones who get the best job opportunities. Recently, its become less of a necessity since AIs are versed in multiple languages. But after the invention of the universal translator, its become increasingly scarce for anyone to take language courses. There are still benefits, but not as many as there used to.