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 A. Education of citizens is an important aspect in most civilizations. How will this Utopia respond to the following issues: 1. Who will have access to education and how will they access it? Everyone who is on Risker Island has access to education. Their access to education is only through school. No matter age, ethnicity, gender or religion, that person will get access to education. At Risker Island, danger is expected no matter where one is. This is why survival skills, self defense, and fighting skills come first before anything else in one's education stage of life. After this is accomplished, the learning for an occupation starts. This part is very open-ended and people are free to learn as much as they want. There are many jobs on Risker Island ranging from a restaurant worker to a doctor. What field they want to go into is decided by each person.  2. What will be taught and how will it be taught?
First of all, all citizens of Risker Island have to spend six years of their education life on learning survival skills, fighting skills, and self-defense skills. Starting at the age of ten, each student will learn survival skills the first two years, self defense skills the next two years and finally fighting skills for the last two years of their six years of education dedicated to survival, fighting and self-defense skills. Survival and self-defense skills maintain the same for all students but once they have reached the point of their lives to learn their fighting skills, they have a few choices. These include: KARATE, ESKRIMA, HSING-I, JUDO, JUKEN-DO, KALARIPAYIT, KENDO, KEN-JUTSU, KUNG-FU, NIN-JITSU, SHOTOKAN, SILAMBAM, SUMO, TAE KWON DO, T'AI-CHI CH'UAN, and AIKIDO. Over the two years one has to master a minimum of one of these fighting types. After these six years, one begins their learning for their occupation. The education that is needed for each job ranges in difficulty. Each job also has a large range of amount of learning. In other words, for example one can learn only the basics of the job or they can become an expert of their job. The decision relies on each person. Obviously, with a education system like this there is a lot of competition. Each citizen is in charge of finding a job once they have decided to end the education and learning part of their lives. The amount of knowledge each person has about their job ranges from person to person. Of course, the more knowledge one has on their job, the better they will be at it, and being a company to hire employees, the company will obviously choose the person with more knowledge on their job to be their employee. In order to maintain danger on Risker Island, taking chances and risking is generally approved of. Risker Island also takes notice of how there will always be people who enjoy harming others, which is why every citizen has to learn survival, self-defense and fighting skills. The ways that students are being taught these skills are definitely not by taking tests on paper, but by experiments where students are in situation where these skills are essential. Experiments range in difficulty according to the skills of each student. During practices and lessons, each student is observed carefully to determine their rating from 1 to 10, 1 being the skills of survival, self-defense, and fighting not being seen or in other words, the student has a lot more learning and 10 being the student is an expert. According to their rating each student is placed in different experiments and situations of different difficulties. Therefore, being matched to the right amount of difficulty of the situation, the deaths of students never occur.
3. What is the value placed on the role of Educators?
The educators of Risker Island are highly admired. We believe that they are the ones that help the society by educating people and giving them knowledge, the knowledge that got Risker Island started and on its feet and the knowledge that helps the citizens of Risker Island survive. They are one of the jobs with a higher salary. Overall, they are treated with respect and known as the smart and generous ones for sharing their knowledge with the citizens of Risker Island. Even though they have a huge part in helping the citizens of Risker Island to survive, so do many other professions of a different area, such as doctors, whose goal is to save lives. Overall, we believe that every profession is very important, just some more than others, educators being one of the more important ones. B. How will this Utopia address the following issues regarding religion?
i. State sanctioned religion (one official religion) vs. multiple religious traditions On Risker Island, any religion is allowed. We believe that any person is in charge of their own life and can think and make decisions of their own as long as those decisions don't affect others in a negative way. Not only are all religions accepted but all skin colors, ethnicities, and genders. We believe that each and every human of their own is unique and special in their own way. Knowing that all religions might have different holidays, celebrations, and traditions, everyone is free to represent their religion and beliefs any way that they want. In a way on Risker Island, everyday is a holiday. Due to this supplies used to celebrate holidays and traditions are sold year-round. Risker Island encourages individuality greatly, so a family can even have their own set of holidays. For example, if a child loses its first tooth on July 15th, then the family can mark July 15th as Tooth Day or whatever they want to name it to represent that day when that child lost his or her tooth. These kinds of self-created holidays can range from small events like the above example to major occurrences. This idea is almost an extended thought of a birthday which is when someone is born. Obviously, every day of the year is a birthday for at least one person so, really, everyday is a holiday, just that not everyone celebrates it. Why not every family gets to choose what days they want to celebrate certain occurrences? Why can't every day be a celebration for any family that wants it to be? The majority of the population of Risker Island are those that have a self created religion. Not only do they have their own traditions and holidays but one can have their own explanation to how the earth was formed, what it was like, etc.   ii. If a state sanctioned religion, what level of observance will be required? What will enforcement procedures entail? Risker Island is not a state sanctioned religion. iii. Observance of eastern and western religions as they currently exist vs. the creation of a new religion or many new religions? On Risker Island everyone is allowed to have any religion they please. For example, this would include Christianity, Buddhism, Jewish, etc. If they wanted to, the citizens of Risker Island could even create their own religion. This is actually the situation for many citizens of Risker Island because people can choose what they want to celebrate and when they want to celebrate it. A couple of these would include Halsoony and Chrismansian. Halsoony - This religion has a lot to deal with the holiday that was seen celebrated in America, called Halloween. It celebrates the death of any person in the family with a big feast and presents that includes some that are given to the person that has died. These presents are believed to travel to that person that has died after some way of being delivered to them.  Chrismansian- They believe that everything that was originally on earth has an explanation for being there. They don't believe that God put everything on earth. The celebrations that Chrismansians celebrate are held every month, most of them are very important and mark important dates. For example, Chrismansians don't celebrate occasions such as a kid loosing a tooth, but holidays like when the religion, Christmansian was introduced to the world. This holiday is celebrated in a way just like Christians celebrate the holiday, Christmas. There is tree where presents are placed underneath. This holiday and is simply called, "The Official Introduction" for Chrismansians.  C. Arts and Entertainment: Most great societies encourage the flourishing of the full range of human talents. (Note: do not address censorship in this section; see the Government section) How will this Utopia accommodate the following activities: 1. Literature (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, etc.) Fiction: This is one of the favorite kinds of literature on Risker Island since it includes most stories about far reaching incidents, for example, murders and experiences that only occur when life is at its extremes. Nonfiction: This kind of literature is not enjoyed much but is used a lot since it provides a lot of knowledge for one's occupation on Risker Island. Overall, it is used mainly for things that have to do with education and schooling but not for enjoyment. Poetry: This kind of literature isn't allowed on Risker Island since it is considered as more of a calm and soothing kind of literature. Drama: This is a great form of entertainment on Risker Island. People have exposure to it in many places. This includes at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Drama includes plays which are usually about mystery and murder.    2. Fine arts (painting, sculpture, drawing, acting, dance, etc.) Painting/Sculpture/Drawing; These are considered a type of communication on Risker Island since they can all send a message to people. Yet these aren't enjoyed by the majority of the citizens of Risker Island because it doesn't include much movement but is rather achieved thorough what we think as sitting and working. 3. Music (instrumental - classic, instrumental - contemporary,
vocal, etc.) Instrumental-contemporary/Instrumental-classic: Most of the music that the citizens of Risker Island listen to have vocals in it because that kind of music on Risker Island is considered more active and intense. Yet there are some kinds of music that only have instruments. Usually, these are intense though, not just a soft flute but flutes along with drums, cymbals, a piano, a violin, and trumpets Vocal: This is highly liked and enjoyed on Risker Island because the message of the song is clear and powerful. Usually this message is packed with action and intensity. Some even describe a dangerous situation. All the music on Risker Island doesn’t just have vocals, but also some music that is played in the background. This background music is done with instruments in all categories; percussion, strings, brass, woodwinds, ring, and jingle. Risker Island's national song doesn't include much vocals because it doesn't want to show any sign of favoritism to who gets to sing it. The composer is recognized though. .  4. Film (documentary, animation, fiction, etc.)  Documentary: These are widely watched by the citizens of Risker Island. Yet it isn't considered entertainment but a necessity to know what is occurring worldwide and especially on Risker Island. Many occurrences that are shown are dangerous situations and action-filled. Animation: These are only watched up to the age of eight because they don't include enough excitement. At the age of eight, one is exposed to documentary and other non-fiction or fiction films. Fiction/Non-fiction: The two themes that are most enjoyed are comedy and action. They can be either fiction or non-fiction. Horror is not allowed on Risker Island though. It is believed to have a negative influence on children that could affect their entire lives, such as being afraid of the dark.
Each film gets a rating from eight through twenty. The number represents the starting age to watch that film. This means that at age twenty one can watch any film and for example, at age ten, one can watch films that are rated ten, nine, or eight. 5. Sports Football/Basketball/Golf/Baseball: All these sports are played by the citizens of Risker Island. It varies from citizen to citizen which one they like the best. The majority likes Risker Island's national sport, singles tennis. Tennis: This is Risker Island's national sport, but not just any kind of tennis, singles tennis, which means there are only two players in a game, both opposing each other. It is Risker Island's national sport because it represents its thoughts about the real world, each individual for himself or herself. In singles tennis one has no one to help them win the match but themselves. They have no one to rely or call to for help. This represents the situation of someone that is in grave danger. It is believed that in these situations, one can only save themselves.    6. Value placed on the role of Artists and Athletes Both artists and athletes don't exist on Risker Island. Arts and sports are hobbies and not a profession because it is known that they don't take part in building a society. Such things are considered entertainments which therefore are hobbies. This means that drawing, painting, sculpting and playing sports are enjoyed in the spare time of the citizens of Risker Island. Most citizens of Risker Island don't enjoy arts much anyway since it usually doesn't include too much movement and excitement which sums arts up to be not much of a dangerous hobby. Therefore, it is not a problem that being an artist isn't a profession. D. Food: Will this Utopia have a national dish? What will be the prevailing cultural attitude toward food? (For example,necessary evil or daily joy?) Food is highly enjoyed on Risker Island. Since it is a necessity to life, Risker Island tries to make the best out of it. Chefs are considered a job on Risker Island but not only are their jobs to make food for the citizens of Risker Island but to create something new that makes eating more of a joy. Eating is naturally considered fun and enjoyable since it satisfies the body when one eats when they are hungry. Risker Island also has a national dish that is called, "S.B.S" which stands for, “Snap Back Snack." It includes a creamy broth that has *sniko meat, *fliso meat, *grouze meat, *popsini seeds, mixed with broccoli that is cut into very tiny pieces, and sprinkled with cheese on top. The three meats, sniko, fliso, and grouze represent where danger can be found; everywhere. The popsini seeds give the broth movement and action since it creates ripples and bubbles as they pop in the warm broth. The broccoli that is cut into tiny pieces shows how it had looked so beautiful before, like a flower, and has become something so shredded which represents how something can drastically change ones life from perfect to terrible and miserable. And finally, the melted cheese on top represents the encouragement to strive to get to the top, where it is not disturbed by the popsini seeds or hidden by the creamy broth.
Sniko- A brown fish that is plentiful in the waters near Risker Island. Fliso- A blue bird that is the size of a hawk only found flying in the sky, high above the shores of Risker Island. Grouze- A animal found on land that looks like a mix between a chicken and pig. Popsini Seeds- Seeds that are easily grown on Risker Island. They pop in warm wet environments leaving behind an eatable crunchy skin. E. How has your Utopia dealt with the following isues of social customs: 1. New vs. Old Holidays There are no such things as old and new holidays on Risker Island. All the citizens are free to celebrate and not to celebrate anything they want.
2. Social Classes (Are different groups of people viewed differently?) There are different classes on Risker Island since it is almost inevitable in a society where competition exists. It is up to the citizens to let comments from others affect them or not. All the citizens on Risker Island are free to have any friends they want so if one wants to avoid cruelty having to do with the difference in social classes then they might want to stick with friend that are mainly in the same social group as them. Each citizen of Risker Island is expected to handle their own situations to the best of their ability so if one wants to avoid being separated by social classes, then they can work harder to climb to the top where they won't be known as a poor person.
3. Notoriety, Celebrity, and Respect Refer above to the Fine Arts section under Arts and Entertainment for the results of notoriety and celebrity. 4. Life goals, Hopes, and Dreams Every citizen is free to set any goals and to have any hopes and dreams.
F. How are families structured in your Utopia? (Is there a concept of marriage? How do children interact with their elders?) The families on Risker Island have a maximum of four members, including both the parents. This is because we don't want Risker Island to be over populated, having a population of only 10,000 people due to limited space. If a family gets over four, a trip is arranged for them to move to a different country permanently. That family will get limited choice in what country they get to move to. If there is a divorce between two parents, both the male and the female will have to go through paper work to become separate adults so that their relationship won't affect their future families if they were to have one. Every family is also given the opportunity to adopt a child as long as their family stays under four. Kids are not expected to respect their elders, but if they don't they might have some losses since adults have the ability to help them in certain circumstances that might have to deal with money. With kids not required to respect their elders, this is a reason why some families on Risker Island aren't as close as those of the United States. This doesn't have too much of an impact on families because at the age of 16, the parents aren't responsible of their kids anymore. Obviously, if one wants their parents to support them after college, they might want to respect them. G. How do men and women relate to one another? Women and men can marry after the age of 18. They can also divorce if they feel that they don't love each other anymore. They can only have kids after they are married though. If one breaks any of the rules regarding marriage and kids, they will have the same solution as having a family of more than four, which is to be sent to another country. |
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Oscar's Utopia >
Risker Island's Culture, Social Customs, and Family Structure |
