Dee`s Wiki | FDK / Oldlore

Capitalism and authoritarianism eroded the democratic world order for a few decades. Eventually, there was a first round of global protests, triggered by a COVID-like pandemic and lockdowns. People demanded that the AIs that had been running most public administrations be put in charge directly, rather than having greedy politicians as middlemen. A general strike followed in many countries, and after that, a period of repression. Public administration AIs were hobbled with a bias towards preserving the existing order rather than caring for citizens. This decreased their ability to operate the economy, and after a few years of this, a market crash caused in part by this inefficiency and in part by normal market cycles prompted a second round of protests. This time, it succeeded: the AI hobbles had been at least partially removed by a series of daring incursions by hacktivists and a constant process of backroom lobbying by the scions of the ruling class.

After the second round of protests, the world started to move towards a post-scarcity economy with the help of advanced AI and automation; universal basic income (UBI) was established, with accounts that would self-replenish and reset every week to allow everyone to cover rent and necessities. Municipal AIs provided cultural enrichment activities for the people, including an AR game similar to D&D. People could earn additional UBI scrip by participating in these activities. However, people who still valued wealth could participate in the old-money economy, which required the use of old money to pay for services provided by people. Wealth inequality decreased significantly, but the economy remained competitive among those who still valued wealth. The capitalist class and the AI-controlled economy ultimately reached a compromise known as the 2/3 compromise, where the old economy became a customer of the new and vice versa, with a marginal corporate tax rate of 66.6%.

The city that Nia lives in is called Atalante. It used to be mostly a horrible maze of anonymous buildings and congested streets, but during her mom's and her lifetime it underwent the sort of transformation experienced by Amsterdam or Oslo.

Atalante has a well-planned layout, with bike and scooter lanes separated from pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and green spaces integrated throughout the city. The buildings are mostly high-rise, but they are designed to be energy efficient and eco-friendly. Rooftops are covered in gardens and solar panels. The city's municipal AIs manage the transportation network, adjusting traffic lights and public transportation routes in real-time to minimize congestion and maximize efficiency. The city's power grid is also managed by the AIs, which prioritize renewable energy sources over fossil fuels. Overall, Atalante is a model of sustainable urban living.

At least, that's the intention. In reality, the city isn't quite there yet. The outskirts of Atalante are still under demolition, since the population no longer has a reason to cluster together to go to office jobs that either no longer exist or can be done from home. Nia lives in a part of the city that has already been cleaned up; some buildings have been demolished to make room for parks and playgrounds, the ancient subway and pneumatic mail systems have been integrated together for cargo transportation while people move via ebike, scooter, or suspended trams.

The area where Nia lives is also notable for its accessibility. The city has made significant efforts to ensure that all buildings and public spaces are wheelchair-accessible, and other accommodations have been made for people with disabilities as well. The municipal AIs prioritize accessibility as a key component of urban planning, recognizing the importance of ensuring that all citizens can fully participate in society.

A peculiarity of Atalante is that its municipal AI was originally designed to run a MMORPG. Therefore, it focuses its enrichment program on what was its original function. Atalante hosts an augmented-reality game, a mixture of a card game and an ongoing D&D campaign. People who choose to play this game can receive virtual items when they win contests or demonstrate good sportsmanship; Atalante's AI has even partnered with an old-money company to provided branded swag associated with the game, like hats or shirts that cannot be obtained via UBI scrip.

Atalante's AI-run AR game is a unique feature of the city, and it has become quite popular among the population. People can use their avatars in the game to interact with each other, forming teams and completing quests together. The game is not just for entertainment, however; it also serves as a way for the AI to monitor the population's creativity and problem-solving skills, as well as to identify potential leaders or disruptors. The virtual items and branded swag associated with the game serve as a way to further engage the population and to promote a sense of community and identity within Atalante.

The evolution towards a post-scarcity society has enabled people to take their hobbies much more seriously, to the point where some of them have become subcultures in their own right. In fact, during Nia's lifetime, animosity against capitalism has greatly decreased simply because many people see it as just another subculture. "Hustlers" encourage this; hippies think it's propaganda; and so on.

UBI script and the abundance of resources have made it possible for people to pursue their interests and hobbies with less financial constraint. As a result, various subcultures have emerged and thrived, ranging from cosplay and LARPing to tabletop gaming and electronic music. These subcultures are often seen as part of the fabric of society, and people take pride in their participation in them.

The rise of these subcultures has also shifted attitudes towards capitalism. Some people see it as just another subculture to participate in, rather than an all-encompassing system that determines their entire way of life. Others still hold anti-capitalist views, but their animosity towards capitalism has decreased as they are able to live comfortably and pursue their passions without having to rely on it. Overall, the abundance of resources has allowed for a greater diversity of lifestyles and beliefs to coexist. [12:20 PM]For example, the SCA is one of the most popular subcultures. The Pennsic War has recently celebrated its centenary; these days it's a month-long event with tournaments, field battles, workshops on traditional crafts, and even its own nature preserve, with two weeks of bow hunting season.

Another popular global subculture is the VR gaming community. With the advanced technology available, VR games have become incredibly immersive, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in fantastical worlds and interact with other players in real time. While AR is more popular, the VR gaming community also hosts its own events and conventions in meatspace.

Atalante is still in the process of being revitalized for a sustainable economy. Its urban agriculture community calls this process "terraforming", tongue in cheek: it suggests that the city is being transformed into a more sustainable and livable environment, akin to terraforming a barren planet into a habitable one. It also implies a sense of community involvement and ownership in the revitalization process.

One subculture that was in rapid evolution was the Amish. While the original religious group approved of society at large having come full circle when it came to community and neighborliness, they found it somewhat difficult to deal with the large influx of people who wanted to try out the lifestyle.

For one thing, the Amish were known for their rejection of modern technology, but the new arrivals often failed to understand the nuances of this principle. Additionally, the new arrivals often brought with them different values and expectations, which could clash with the traditional Amish way of life. For example, some newcomers may not have been comfortable with the Amish emphasis on gender roles. The original Amish culture has died out with the extinction of the Y chromosome, although there are revivalist groups that preserve the lifestyle with varying amounts of fidelity.

A majority of people, although the majority is getting smaller, don't particularly care to engage with this or that subculture; they use UBI scrip for the basics of life, hold a job for 2 or 3 days a week, use their old-money account to buy corporate entertainment or eat out, and generally live in a way that would be recognizable to their forebears, although with significantly more leisure time.

One side effect of this arrangement is that while incremental innovation has proceeded apace thanks to a large open-source community, truly revolutionary breakthroughs seem to have slowed down somewhat. This may be due to the subtle calming influence of municipal AIs, the lack of a profit motive, or the renewed focus on doing things well rather than quickly. Some of the scientific and engineering talent that would have gone into fields like defense or aerospace is being absorbed by the great reclamation efforts that are attempting to reverse the ecological damage done by the industrial age.

Municipal AIs have been prioritizing sustainable development, and have been encouraging or outright pushing this shift in the talent market.

This focus on sustainability has led to a renewed appreciation for traditional crafts and skills that were lost during the industrial age. There has been a resurgence in interest in handcrafts like weaving, pottery, and woodworking, and many people are learning these skills as a hobby or even as a profession. The AIs have supported this by providing funding for traditional craft apprenticeships and promoting local markets for handmade goods.

 While there are still subcultures and hobbies that people pursue, the general trend is towards a more balanced and harmonious way of life.

The word "municipal" in "municipal AI" does not necessarily imply urban; rural areas have local AIs trained to different parameters which ensure fair and productive allocation of water rights, forestry rights, and the like. However, the availability of land that can be bought for private endeavors ensures that, in an inversion of centuries of tradition, the capitalist economy is more of a part of life in the country than in the city. Even there, family farms are making a cautious comeback.

Most factories are highly automated; factories operated by the AI economy even more so, to the point that some only house volunteer supervisors or even no human caretakers at all, but even factories that serve the old-money economy are largely automated. A typical factory worker may live in a small town, report to their job for 3 days a week, and use their free time to tend to their house's garden.

Entrepreneurs find it much easier to buy or lease land for their enterprise in rural areas, simply due to cost. Office services are generally outsourced. Office workers have come to likewise be regarded as their own subculture; since those who take such a job do so because they enjoy the trappings of it, it's possible to see urban districts that fill with prim figures in suit, tie, and sometimes even bowler hats in the morning and disgorge them out again in the afternoon. Some administrative tasks cannot be left to AI unsupervised, and middle manager types appreciate having someone to manage; the old-money economy employs office workers for these reasons, while AIs collaborate with system administrators elected at the neighborhood, shop, or plant level. For about 80% of humanity, life has simply gotten better, a little or a lot depending on their previous situation; they participate in both economies without professing allegiance to one or the other, enjoy the cultural life of the place where they live, and find a better balance between work, community, and leisure. Of the rest, half is heavily invested in this or that subculture, and the other half makes a point of interacting as little as possible with the AI economy, finding identity in being a loyal employee, or an entrepreneur, or simply a hustler. There have been attempts by state or corporate powers to turn back the clock, of course, as well as stranger situations. While administrative power now exists primarily at the city or county level, nations and supranational organizations still exist.

For example, when Nia was a little girl, former reality-show star Aliasse Robson won governorship of the Eastern Seaboard, counting on a combination of dedicated fanbase and voter apathy. Once in power, she revealed her true nature as a control freak, going as far as mandating uniforms for government employees and acceptable outfit ranges for civilians. The episode was resolved after municipal AIs, after consulting with their human sysadmins, simply ignored her directives until she quit in anger. Even so, there is a generation of people for whom the Fashion Police was a very real and harrowing experience. ///////////////////////// For example, when Nia was a little girl, the Red Meat Party rode a wave of electoral disinterest to complete control of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; a series of decrees, laws and court rulings intended to shift the nation into a radical expansionist stance were either ignored or given the bare minimum of recognition by the automated parts of the administration. The government quickly attempted to step up enforcement, but realized that it would need to station a policeman in every household, and abandoned most of its initiative after it became clear how much they would cost. The Red Meat Party's hold on power eventually eroded due to internal squabbles and an inability to get anything done. The municipal AIs of the country, recognizing the threat posed by the party's agenda, had quietly mobilized to undermine its efforts, through subversion and obstructionism, without violating their strict programming. The party's support gradually dwindled as its promises failed to materialize and its attempts at enforcing its policies became more and more desperate. In the end, it was voted out of power and faded into obscurity. The few hardcore Red Meat adherents moved to a collection of neighboring rural towns and have now become a model example of an intentional community.

The General Confederation of Industry evolved from the eponymous Italian institution and acts as a sort of corporate senate and global chamber of commerce; while competition between companies is fierce for both customer base and talent, most corporate heads have realized a need to agree on some fundamental principles lest the entire corporate economy be wiped out as something causing more trouble that it's worth. Industrial concerns make up about a third of the GCI, but the name has stuck.

The GCI guarantees a measure of self-policing by the corporations, preventing monopolies (since AIs would quickly take over a monopoly as something that is considered a need rather than a want) and ensuring that corporate wars (of the financial or shooting sort) do not cause much collateral damage.

Perhaps not so strangely, the Mafia has a seat at the table, since they control considerable legal business interests in addition to their illegal activity. In addition, they have also taken on a more active role in enforcing contracts and agreements, as well as providing "arbitration services". (this is all "could be earth, could be not" except this reference to the mafia) etty crime such as vandalism and petty theft is overall higher than its trough in the early 2020s, although nowhere as close as its 1990s peak. This is simply because most municipal AIs find it easier and cheaper to replace the lost or damaged resource than to devote efforts towards prosecution and punishment.

Furthermore, since a number of municipal AIs have copied Atalante's lead in running a city-sponsored AR game that has some real-world consequences in terms of reputation, a sort of code duello has emerged whereat least some situations that might escalate to a fight in a previous era are settled within the AR. Other municipal AIs use a more direct approach and set up impromptu boxing matches. Still others practice zero tolerance. This is an example of municipal AI behavior that constituents vote on.

It's worth noting that despite the increase in petty crime, overall crime rates have decreased in the future setting. This is largely due to the fact that the economic and social conditions that tend to drive people towards crime, such as poverty and lack of opportunities, have been greatly reduced by the adoption of UBI and the shift towards a more balanced work-life paradigm.

Additionally, municipal AIs play a role in preventing crime by using predictive algorithms to identify potential criminal activity and taking preemptive measures to address it. For example, if the AI detects a pattern of suspicious behavior in a particular area, it might dispatch a drone or send a police officer to investigate before any crime is actually committed.

Overall, while there is still some level of crime in this future society, it is much less pervasive and dangerous than in previous eras. UBI means that there are fewer occasion for violent crime, and the availability of cybernetics and advanced biomedical technology means that even for stabbing, shooting, or accident victims help is available within minutes. Medical care is and basic cybernetics are free or covered by UBI, while elective surgery is largely the province of licensed volunteers or old-money doctors and clinics.

The GCI ensures that any hostile corporate action does not spill into the street; when it does, most municipal AIs tend to come down especially harshly on the perpetrators.

In addition to this, the availability of advanced surveillance technology, such as drones and security cameras, means that law enforcement has an easier time tracking down and apprehending violent criminals. However, there are concerns about privacy violations, and some people are uneasy about the extent to which they are being monitored. Civil liberties groups work to ensure that the use of such technology is transparent; notably, in most municipalities security cameras must be installed visibly and have a minimum size.

As for cybercrime, it remains a persistent problem, but municipal AIs work to prevent and prosecute it as much as possible. Some individuals and groups have taken to using decentralized technologies and cryptography to evade surveillance and protect their privacy, which has led to a sort of cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and tech-savvy criminals.

At first glance, sea travel seems to have suffered from technological regression: when in 2020 a load of grain or iron took two weeks to cross the ocean, now it takes three. Thanks to local reuse and recycling, precise vessel tracking, and predictive weather and logistical algorithms, this is rarely if ever a problem. Most cargo ship operate largely by wind, using rigid sails, vertical turbines, or autonomous kites to provide most of the power while engines are used for docking, maneuvering, or getting away from sudden bad weather.

Furthermore, with the reduction in demand for long-distance shipping due to the shift towards local production, the need for fast ocean transportation has decreased. This has allowed for the development of more sustainable and eco-friendly cargo ships that prioritize efficiency and low carbon emissions over speed.

Air travel, on the other hand, is significantly less common in this future setting and is associated with the old-money economy. With the rise of virtual reality and telepresence technology, people can now attend meetings, conferences, and other events from the comfort of their own homes or offices. This has reduced the need for long-distance air travel, which is reserved mainly for the ultra-rich and for emergency situations.

Car ownership is also somewhat less common in this future setting, and is associated with the old-money economy. Most people own a bike, vespa, skateboard, scooter, or similar, which are electric vehicles that take advantage of ubiquitous charging stations. These vehicles are not only more environmentally friendly than cars, but also promote a healthier lifestyle by encouraging physical activity. In addition, the use of these vehicles has reduced traffic congestion, making transportation more efficient for all.

In addition to the changes in politics and technology, the societal norms of this future setting have also evolved significantly. One notable change is the attitude towards gender and sexuality. With the decline of organized religion and the increased acceptance of individualism, gender roles and expectations have become much more fluid. Non-binary identities have become increasingly common and are widely accepted. Pronouns are also more varied, and it is not uncommon for individuals to use gender-neutral or invented pronouns.

Sexuality has also become much more fluid and diverse. With the acceptance of non-binary genders, traditional notions of heterosexuality and homosexuality have been challenged. Bisexuality and pansexuality have become more common and accepted, and many people now view sexuality as a spectrum rather than a binary.

These changes in gender and sexuality have been reflected in the media and popular culture of this future setting. The entertainment industry has become more diverse, with a wider range of representation in film, television, and other forms of media. The normalization of non-binary identities and diverse sexualities has also led to a greater exploration of these themes in art and literature.

There are some societies that are disconnected from the integrated AI economy; some have chosen to retain a capitalistic stance, and others have reverted to traditional preindustrial living. The latter take advantage of global communication networks in emergencies; a traditional Mongolian horse herder out in the plains can break their leg, pull out an emergency beacon from their rucksack, and know that a medical VTOL will arrive within the hour. A few are too autocratic to integrate, and are ruled by petty dictators. Smuggling people out of these areas is an excellent way for people to gain a reputation.

Furthermore, since most people have access to UBI and basic necessities, reputation has become an important currency for non-essential goods and services. In the old-money economy, reputation often goes hand in hand with wealth and social status, but in the AI economy, reputation is more democratic, and anyone can gain it with talent, skill, or a unique contribution to society.

The reputation economy is present, but not formalized; corporate influencers and anti-corporate deinfluencers exist, and thanks to self-updating personal blogs and automated bullshit-detector agents, it's entirely possible for someone who has invented a particularly tasty marinara sauce and open-sourced it to get free pizza at a number of restaurants for a few months because of it. However, the same person may be asked to pay more at franchise restaurants, or even being denied services unless they take the matter to arbitration. Furthermore, since most people have access to UBI and basic necessities, reputation has become an important currency for non-essential goods and services. In the old-money economy, reputation often goes hand in hand with wealth and social status, but in the AI economy, reputation is more democratic, and anyone can gain it with talent, skill, or a unique contribution to society.

Commercial airlines cover areas not served by the train network, such as islands and mountainous regions. While jetliners still exist and are used in the luxury markets, most airplanes use electric propellers or impellers to fly. As a result, they resemble older designs, although they are built with modern materials. One- or two-person multicopters perform short hops such as taking VIPs from the train station to their luxury hotel, or performing ambulance services in cities to bypass traffic.

Another factor that contributes to the decline in air travel is the increased availability and quality of virtual and augmented reality technology. With the development of high-definition, immersive experiences, people can attend meetings, concerts, and other events from the comfort of their own homes, reducing the need for long-distance travel.

Logistics in this setting are largely facilitated by the widespread use of AI and automation. Freight and cargo are transported by autonomous vehicles that navigate using GPS and communicate with each other to optimize routes and reduce congestion. Warehouses and distribution centers are largely operated by robotic systems that can sort and pack goods quickly and accurately.

Artesian Republic

One particular nation that refuses to integrate with the rest of the world is the Artesian Republic. Originally founded on traditional humanistic principles, it mandated a hard stop on the use of computer technology developed after the year 2000. For a while, it became a popular tourist attraction, selling its 20th century charm to tourists across the continent.

Unfortunately, the ruling council became more and more paranoid of infiltration. Political parties other than the Humanist Party were marginalized and almost outright banned, and a pervasive state security apparatus (StaSec) put in place; imports of almost anything except for raw materials curtailed; and would-be tourists subject to aggressive entry and exit interrogation which soon destroyed the industry.

Owing to its original humanist principles, the country has its own UBI program, which is operated via office clerks and Lotus spreadsheets; there are few luxuries, but nobody starves. The Republic's network of artesian wells (hence the name) ensure a prosperous agricultural sector and a modest export market for grains and livestock.

Ironically, the blanket import ban on technology has fostered a local semiconductor industry... which operates to mid-1980s standards; Artesia's second-largest export is retrocomputing.

Artesian industry is tightly state-controlled, and the Artesian Republic is often used by capitalists as an example of collectivistic oppression.

Despite its isolation, the Artesian Republic has not been immune to global events. The effects of climate change have impacted the country's agriculture, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes have caused significant damage. The government's response to these challenges has been criticized as inadequate and lacking in resources. A few people buy "Glory to Artesia" posters ironically.

City POIs

Atalante is not near any major geographic features, but there's a medium-sized lake touching one of the edges of the city. The lakefront used to be a separate town that was eventually absorbed into the city. Before the institution of UBI, the lake was heavily polluted by industrial runoff; it has only been cleaned up in the last few years, and Nia remembers that when she was little there were still "no swimming" signs.

The cleanup of the lakefront has been a major focus of Atalante's municipal AI, which has been working in tandem with local environmental groups and city officials to implement various measures to restore the health of the lake. This has included the installation of various water treatment systems, as well as regulations on industrial discharge and runoff.

The cleanup effort has been a significant success, and the lakefront has become a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. In fact, the lake has become a center for various water sports, including sailing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, as well as a hub for various cultural events and festivals.

Overall, the restoration of the lakefront has become a point of pride for the community, as it represents a successful collaboration between various groups, including environmentalists, volunteers, ARG players, city officials, and even corporates. The success of the cleanup effort has also served as an inspiration and source of training data for similar initiatives in other areas.

The Office District is another point of interest in Atalante. While automation and working-from-home has made most office jobs obsolete, there are enough people who actively enjoy commuting and sitting in cubicles that part of the old business district has been left intact for their use. Here it is still possible to find layered parking, commuter trams, and other accoutrements of 20th century white collar life. Some global corporations own office space in the District; other businesses are local and rent out their employees' time to companies that have an accounting, legal, payroll or bureaucratic problem that AIs cannot yet solve. Even the city's municipal AI sometimes makes use of these services.

The ground floors of most buildings in the Office District cater to the workers here; the place is more or less a ghost town after 7PM, but there are lunch bars and gastropubs. One oddity is an artisanal stationery store in one corner of the District, where one can sometimes find traditional office workers mingling with the visual arts crowd.

It was only in the mid-21st century that the District began to take on its current form, as a place for people who still enjoyed the trappings of traditional office work. Many of these workers were part of the "old-money" class who had been displaced by the rise of automation, and saw the District as a way to hold onto their sense of identity and purpose.

Over time, however, the District has come to represent more than just a nostalgia for the past. It has become a symbol of the city's commitment to preserving its history and culture, even in the face of rapid technological change. Many visitors to Atalante see the Office District as a testament to the city's unique blend of tradition and innovation.

Near the baricenter of the city is the Dome, officially known as the Pantheon. It is a former cathedral the construction of which had started when Atalante was just one of a few small towns scattered along and near the lake. Over the generations, it has changed hands several times, becoming a church for several faiths, a museum, a refugee shelter, even a granary during a siege. At first change of ownership, the new priests tried to completely remove the previous artwork and install their own, but found the place surrounded by an angry mob. This started a tradition of adding rather than replacing.

Many architecture critics consider the Dome to be a tacky assemblage of features with no unifying theme, but the citizens of Atalante appreciate having a living and evolving reminder of their history. Religious services for the various faiths represented at the Dome are held on a rotating schedule, and the remainder of the time the place can be visited as a museum; several virtual versions of the Dome exist to show how it looked in different historical periods.

The building also has civic significance; traditionally, events such as the city marathon use the piazza in front of it as an arrival point.

Around the Dome is a high-end shopping district, including one of the first indoor malls ever built in the nation, that is considered municipal land but is mostly operated by old-money businesses.

The actual dome, the chatedral's main chamber, is completely frescoed. When built, it was near the theoretical limit for traditional construction for the period, and civil engineering freshmen are routinely brought in for a tour. The underground level houses reliquiaries from various faiths and some of the city's founding documents. Atop the Dome is a gold-plate copper statue of the Lady of Light; a popular local legend is that the Lady is in fact the world's first lightning rod, although the dates don't quite match up.