I really hesitated about posting this one, but decided to do so with a serious caveat:
This in no way is a caracature or lampoon of any political belief or policy. Period. It is just a bizarre speculation on imaginary societies that make a place unplesant. If politics of the real world comes up, or is tacked onto this, , I'll delete the whole damn thing.
This UWP was suggested by Jame earlier in this thread, I believe.
Eonwych E 457889-8
A small world with a somewhat higher than average population, Eonwych would be unremarkable if not for its dedication to extending civil service organization to every aspect of life. A central tenet of most examples of GT 8 is that governmental functions should be preformed by individuals selected by demonstrated expertise in the tasks required, in an impartial, apolitical, unbiased selection process.
At some point in the distant past, Eonwhych seems to have fallen under the influence of someone who was fed up with the Hippy-trippy vilanii slovenliness and lack of organization and structure. Unfortunately, what would seem to be a simple comic opera society filled with officious beaurocrats has in fact produced something far more unpleasant for outsiders to experience.
On the surface, Eonwych is an ultimate meritocracy with absolutely every job, public or private, is filled by impartial blinded examination based on extensive scientific task analysis; well and good, one thinks. However, as people's skillset and job requirements can change, constant reassessment and thus reassignment is necessary; accordingly one can be terminated from ones job for having a sprained wrist and being unable to type, and then immediately assigned to a job requiring only one handed physical tasks -on the other side of the continent, if necessary. Similarly, as even personal and private tasks effect ones efficiency and the demand on the economy, all tasks, no matter how small, require reassessment and certification on a regular basis. Thus all non-biological voluntary aspects of life require a certification (such as eating utensils, edged) before they can be engaged in -and while in many cases these are quick and simple tests (efficiency being paramount, after all) they are constant and take up perhaps 10% of the average citizens waking time. One can in fact lose ones spoon cert due to an ill timed sneeze, and thus be required to eat soup with a fork while awaiting the 24 hour waiting period for the reassessment test on cutlery; and as misuse of a fork can be an issue, one normally forgoes eating in such situations.
The consequence of this need for constant and yet quick reassessment, is to frequently require unbiased testing in a naturalistic, uncontrolled environment, such as the workplace. Thus, it was deemed prudent to remove environmental factors that would bias any such assessment and selection. To this end, Eonwych has almost completely eliminated the concept of an individual identity or personality. Citizens have no names, but rather are labeled to by their living address. Dress is identical, unisex and bland. Personal property is allowed and respected, but in all cases are exactly the same items. Education is highly focused on developing aptitudes assessed shortly after birth, and is individualized and secret. An individuals actual job is similarly confidential, as is his family life. Entertainment, art and literature exist, as do hobbies, but they are all identical and in many cases mandatory.
What is most astonishing about Eonwych's ruthless meritocracy is the fact that it is not enforced an oppressive police state, but rather by social conventions and customs; meritoriousness has become a basic ethical belief to the inhabitants; the system is backed with all the force and energy of a sincere religious dogma; knowing biasing information about another, or revealing it is cause for deep shame and great guilt. Problems are treated by counselling and medical treatment, almost always self referred. Making a decision based on such information is a heinous crime against nature to the inhabitants. Such actions are crimes of the greatest seriousness, and punished by expert judges and law enforcement officials. Interestingly, except as any behavior effects civil assessment procedures, the society is relatively open. Private property exists (abeit identical property based on seniority), money and salaries exist (based on seniority), private enterprise is relatively unencumbered (where qualified), life love and happiness are all relatively free, within the dictates of having an utterly confidential life, job and lacking a name) . Beliefs are taught from birth by teachers assessed for competence in teaching such beliefs; adult behavior is similarly shaped by properly designed arts and entertainment that strengthen the system, and jobs that actually fit their skills (although the local perception is they they fit a jobs needs -thus cooperating with reassignment is the right thing to do). One is not required to like ones job, and indeed can freely leave or apply for reassessment; but as discussed below, the elimination of individual personality makes such dissatisfaction unlikely -in general, one fits into a job, not the other way around. Plus, one is likely to be reassigned to the same job, only with reduced seniority.
It cannot be over emphasized that this system is not a hellish cyberdictatorship. The population genuinely believes in the system and participates willingly. The fact that they are manipulated from birth, stripped of all identity and knowledge of other humans, or indeed individual preferences or personality traits , given no information other than what is needed to carry out there tasks, and constantly badgered by petty and intrusive skill tests in every area of their lives is absolutely irrelevant to the citizens. Crime is rare as passions and desires are flattened to almost nothing; theft is unheard of as all property is identical; dissent rare as communication is limited by a simple fact; there is almost nothing to talk about, nothing to think about, no sharing of persona; thoughts or ideas; in fact almost no abstract thought beyond the days invariable assessment tests. To most citizens, the system is so familiar and institutionalized that the assessments are no more unusual than saying grace before dinner, or having luck rituals hoping for success. It's how things work, after all. Individuality is......vaguely perverse; knowing unique secrets about another is a shameful secret; and acting on bias a disgusting perversion.
While there is a tremendous amount of what would be seen by outsiders at wasted and useless effort, and a huge drain on the economy to support the teting and assessment infrastructure, and a horrible inefficiency due to constant personnel change, the systems works because they believe it works, and they know no other way at this point. The system is strongly self regulating and self reenforcing, rigidly stable, and supported by the mindlessness of its people, it is able to survive as there is no more efficient or effective competition on the planet. It will work only as long as it is the only game in town, but it is also very hard to make any inroads into it, if only due to sheer frustration.
The problems with characters arriving at such a planet range from the disastrous to the subtle:
Attempting to sell at the rather drab but otherwise functional marketplace will quickly cause a riot once it becomes apparent that they have no qualifications for what they are doing. And such riots will be terrifyingly effective and well organized as virtually everyone will have the same reactions and outrage.
Asking simple questions about someone they are trying to find will brand them as blatant perverts.
Negotiations for a trade deal will be suddenly upset when the local negotiator constantly changes. Further, secret negotiations or deals will be frighteningly ineffective as private knowledge is frowned on, and essentially unheard of except as it relates to ones individuality or skills.
Selling off planet goods will be treated as roughly similar to showing up a fundamentalist town with a truckload of ⌧ography.
Getting anything done using the locals will involve a tremendous amount of wasted effort and overhead from the players perspective; similarly, attempting to work within the population or government by the players will require endless and seemingly random interruptions and mandatory training sessions. Finally, any decision by the players that requires local buy in will require endless and in depth analysis and justification.
Remember -there are no waivers for off planet visitors, as that would be unfair bias -as would the very knowledge that they aren't local.
The lack of a starport under these circumstances should be easily understood.
