Questions tagged [society]
For questions dealing with how sentient beings interact with each other in a community.
1,697
questions
4
votes
4answers
142 views
How would a society evolve if some people are immortal?
The setting is as follow. In a planet like earth, one day, 10% of the population suddenly becomes immortal. The "immortals" are not physiologically different from the "mortals" and initially it is ...
2
votes
1answer
85 views
How can an independent region existing within an empire remain independent?
Witches are are powerful individuals with a knowledge of magic, and are respected and feared throughout the empire, which is divided up into to many competing states. However, magic is slow and ...
23
votes
14answers
4k views
In what sequence should an advanced civilization teach technology to medieval society to maximize rate of adoption?
If a small group of an advanced civilization got stranded in a medieval-like society on another planet and they start to interact in a peaceful way, what would be the first technologies that they ...
7
votes
3answers
173 views
Consequences of all adults turning into ghosts for a week, part 1: Power grid
One of the major sources of conflict in my story is that, in my story's modern-day world, two to three times a year, a week-long supernatural effect is globally applied to everyone on Earth over the ...
3
votes
1answer
198 views
how can the city of Carthage sustain a healthy population growth?
The Carthaginian Empire was one of the greatest empires in history. After crushing the silly Roman savages in the Punic Wars, they went on to establish territory and conquer the western world. The ...
30
votes
4answers
7k views
Is there a standard terminology for female equivalents of terms such as 'Kingdom' and if so, what are the most common terms?
I'm writing a political system where women hold a higher rank in society than men. Almost immediately, I ran into an issue with the naming of locations.
Now, if a land ruled by a king is a kingdom, ...
25
votes
20answers
6k views
How can a resurrection system prevent the cheapening of death?
In my world, a form of magic exists which allows a person to be revived after death. Prior to death, a ritual is conducted which tattoos a rune onto a person's soul. This rune is connected to a large ...
12
votes
5answers
1k views
How can faith be maintained in a world of living gods?
The demigods are immortal individuals that protect our reality from eldritch abominations, such as Cthulu, Niggurath, etc, on a plane that exists between our world and theirs. These battles against ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Rapidly Spreading Disease Timeline - Fungus Based
I've been working on this concept where a deadly new fungus starts spreading from two central locations. One in Europe and one outside of a major city in the United States. Over the course of 16 days, ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
How can a long lived species deal with generational shifts in society? [closed]
The Great Generational Shift unfolding today presents a whole new set of challenges for employers, employees, and managers. Human beings have short lives, which push us to make an impact on the world ...
2
votes
3answers
126 views
How can a witch elf ensure that their soul is resurrected?
Drow society is broken down into houses, each with its own family. There are several royal houses which represent the political and religious power of the drow. Each house is headed by a matron, who ...
27
votes
11answers
8k views
Punishment in pacifist society
I'm building a race of plant-like creatures that are pacifists in a pre-industrial age world. Because they live hidden in forests, caves, etc. and often blend in with the natural flora, occasionally ...
-1
votes
2answers
141 views
Ancient City Expansion
I want to write about a city in environments like the grasslands in France. Its progress from its rise until its fall.
Could the city expand to an empire in one or two generations? (Middle ages ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
What kind of society would a species of autotrophic plants create? [closed]
The setting includes both magic and 21st century technology. The species in question are non-sessile, sentient and sapient trees, and has evolved that way due to the threat of a xylophagous predator. ...
2
votes
3answers
148 views
Would society become matriarchal, patriarchal or balanced if the military consisted mostly of women but the top leadership are men? [closed]
The premise is that in this world, mankind has extended their territory throughout the solar system. We now have colonies on multiple moons and planets. War and combat between the different factions ...
1
vote
3answers
99 views
How would someone establish a dictatorship during the zombie-apocalypse [closed]
We're talking about a big group of ~3000 (possibly more) survivors around 5 years after the downfall. 1% of humanity is still alive, 59% is zombified (classic slow zombies, TWD-like), the remaining 40%...
1
vote
1answer
141 views
What are some modern policies that can be applied to or improve 17th-century European society? [closed]
Supposedly, a relatively smart + educated young woman from modern society is transmigrated into a body of a woman living in a country that is similar to 17th-century Europe. Monarchy and nobility ...
39
votes
16answers
13k views
What professions would a medieval village with a population of 100 need?
Let's say I have a small village with 100 people of which everyone is able to work, what kind of professions do these people need?
Background to the society: they are as smart as medieval people, ...
1
vote
4answers
134 views
A Magical Society [closed]
Quite literally.
I have an idea for a world I want to make in which the ability to use magic is about as easy as something like learning how to code. It would be taught in schools, professions would ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
How can I differentiate a eusocial organism from a hive mind collective?
Are there specific writing ways to differentiate from the two (eusocial vs. hivemind)?
I would like to start writing more notes and lore upon something I've been working with, but it does seem hard ...
0
votes
6answers
138 views
In what way can I increase the likelihood of miscarriages across a species?
Exowombs have become feasible from a technological standpoint. A number of trials conducted on animal embryos have proven successful, and talk has been made about how this can be beneficial for ...
-4
votes
5answers
162 views
How can I shift my country's immigration policy to a skills based approach?
My name is DONNA TRUMPET, and I am one of the greatest leaders in world history. I was elected president in the nation of Carcossa a number of years ago, and have maintained broad support among the ...
1
vote
1answer
141 views
In the far future, humans wage war through spaceships that are mentally controlled solely by women. How would this affect the military and society? [closed]
A bit more explanation on the premise.
Humans now have extended their territory to the edges of the Milky Way galaxy and have hundreds of colonial planets. However, humans still fight among one ...
19
votes
18answers
3k views
Units of measurement, especially length, when body parts vary in size among races
Historically, units of measurement are often based on sizes of body parts. Probably the most obvious example would be a "foot" literally being based on the length of someone's (or everyone's, or ...
12
votes
19answers
6k views
How to prevent criminal gangs from making/buying guns?
TLDR: What can modern governments do to force criminal gangs to use melee weapons instead of guns.
So I am writing a novel where the main character is pushed out of society, and is forced to join a ...
0
votes
2answers
162 views
Social implications of complete separation of copulation and reproduction [closed]
The Twelve Kingdoms is a fantasy novel series written by Japanese author Fuyumi Ono, and has been made into an anime series.
In this series, humans, and indeed all other motile beings, are born of ...
0
votes
6answers
150 views
How might a society that was once subjugated by superhumans react to their return? [closed]
The premise is quite simple. Sixty years ago, superhumans were wiped out. The source from which they drew their powers was destroyed and the world moved on. Democracy, the rule of law, human rights ...
24
votes
21answers
11k views
How can God warn people of the upcoming rapture without disrupting society?
A being known as Dea is the creator of all things in the mortal world. He created human beings as living batteries in order to fuel him and give him power. This god is in competition with other gods ...
5
votes
1answer
168 views
A practical post apocalypse bullet farm for the survivor on a budget [closed]
In a post apocalyptic society (let's say northern Arizona or southern Colorado) or just outside of a city what would be Needed to practically 'farm' (produce) modern bullets? The idea is to be able to ...
5
votes
4answers
427 views
What is the best way to cause swarm intelligence to be destroyed?
In my story, there is a large group of humanoid clones that help the city function, doing mundane tasks such as cleaning and maintaining the city. Doing all of the minimum wage jobs and 95% of the ...
16
votes
8answers
3k views
Does it make sense to occupy open space?
I was thinking about space as a measured and marked series of boundary lines to denote ownership and governance. The problem is that I'm having trouble seeing that as useful. If there's no particular ...
8
votes
7answers
409 views
Where to Put Self-Reliant, Rugged Individualists?
In fiction that tries to provide a wide diversity of cultural stances on the collectivism-individualism stances, there is often a trope that self-reliant, no-nonsense, rugged individualists (as a ...
3
votes
6answers
218 views
How would the line of succession be if the crown prince was declared dead? [closed]
Kind of similar to this question, but slightly different in some aspects.
In my medieval fantasy Kingdom, the next monarch is usually chosen by direct line of blood with no regard to the successors ...
8
votes
8answers
2k views
How can religions be structured in ways that allow inter-faith councils to work?
The people of this world follow what is called "The Faith of the Seven". These gods represent different aspects of creation. They are:
Khorne: god of war
Tzenteech: god of change & ambition
...
8
votes
4answers
306 views
How would a 4th trimester affect human development?
Newborn humans are born in a very undeveloped stage compared to other mammals. This is because if they stayed any longer in the mother, their head would become too big to fit through the birth canal. ...
1
vote
3answers
147 views
What are some artificial Augmentations to stop the Illuminati's Army? [closed]
I am creating a future world where augmentations, all limbs and organs are the newest weapon by bolstering the natural human ability. For example, arm augmentations allow for a strength twice the ...
3
votes
5answers
185 views
How can royal families preserve the nobility of their bloodlines if children can be mass produced?
A powerful empire rules this world, which is divided into several sections. Each section is ruled and governed by various noble families, under the rule of the royal family led by the king and queen. ...
12
votes
15answers
5k views
How can I prevent corporations from growing their own workforce?
Artificial wombs have become a luxury in society, allowing them to forgo the burden of carrying a child for nine months. Originally, this was an expensive process that currently only the wealthy and ...
10
votes
9answers
2k views
Cause of periodic, random, forced migration?
I am looking for a (preferably economic or environmental) force/system that would every few months or years force a random sample of the middle/lower class of an area to migrate away. This would be ...
1
vote
2answers
304 views
How can you eliminate dreaming without affecting REM sleep?
The Dreamlands are a vast, alternate dimension that can only be entered via dreams. They are divided up into several sections, all of which are inhabited by monsters who serve the idiot elder god ...
-1
votes
8answers
396 views
Aborting Abrahamism [closed]
Let's imagine that some powerful evil eldritch abomination decided to hijack Roman Republic 45 BC, saving Caesar in the last moment and fashion itself as Mercurius (Hermes), who was sent by Olympus as ...
4
votes
2answers
139 views
How do I convince the general population using large monsters is the most efficient means of protecting our compact cities?
Context
Monsters are a bit of a problem on this world. Though most pose a marginal threat and are categorized as vermin, others represent a serious risk to major population centers as a consequence ...
2
votes
4answers
287 views
Helping the Roman Empire with chemistry and metallurgy [closed]
You are a modern chemist and metallurgist and unexpectedly get sent back in time to the era of Caesar Octavius Augustus. After spending a couple years learning ancient Latin, what changes or ...
6
votes
4answers
318 views
How does my society survive the “Crystal spires and Togas” stage [closed]
My highly advanced aliens have progressed far past other life forms in the galaxy. Their technology seems like magic to less advanced species.
However, some of their leaders are very Genre Savvy and ...
6
votes
4answers
173 views
How can a pocket of technologically advanced humans survive the apocalypse?
In a post-apocalyptic novel I'm writing, I plan to follow up with a sequel wherein the main characters are trapped in a hidden city in North America called Eden that has electricity, underground ...
4
votes
3answers
188 views
How can monsters affect traditional fantasy worldbuilding? [closed]
I just watched this video from Shadiversity about implications of monsters and magic in a fantasy setting. Ha said a lot about how society could be, but it makes me think: how can the society "...
32
votes
22answers
7k views
How can an advanced civilization forget how to manufacture its technology?
My alien civilization is highly advanced. Their ancestors created wondrous things from medical devices that can cure nearly anything to warships that can defeat nearly any enemy.
The problem is they ...
6
votes
3answers
147 views
Making techology for a society on other planet
I am having some trouble reasoning out some ideas, if any of you could help.
So I have in mind a planet, where there are many human cultures, but one of them is more advanced then others. So they ...
1
vote
0answers
75 views
What happened to everyone's magical abilities? [closed]
The setting: a remote pre-industrial port city.
The basic premise: As long as anyone can remember, the residents of the city have exhibited magical powers. The city had become fairly large as ...
24
votes
10answers
12k views
Could human civilization live 150 years in a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier colony without resorting to mass killing/ cannibalism?
An un-treatable virus starts infecting and killing people. Societies are on the brink of collapse, and it is decided the best way to save the most amount of people is to move everyone who can fit into ...
