Simulation is one of humanity’s oldest learning technologies. From ancient rites of passage to modern VR drills, from mock trials to disability workshops, simulation is how we “stress-test” empathy, safety, and survival.
But all magic carries risk: a simulation can open hearts, but it can also wound or exclude. When done right, people emerge changed—more connected, less naïve, and ready for real-world mess. When it fails, it alienates, retraumatizes, or makes someone else’s suffering into a spectacle. (McKamey Manor is the nightmare scenario: trauma-for-profit with all the boundaries removed.)
How do we spiral up?
How do we make simulations more humane—less shock, more growth?
How do we move past “scared straight” models and spark insight, agency, and real change?
This guide blends real-world research (SELPA/CAC manuals, trauma-informed pedagogy, disability justice) with creative meta for worldbuilders, educators, and anyone designing “ritual empathy” in the real or fictional world.
Rule 1: Simulations must always be opt-in.
No true learning without agency. People deserve clear explanation—purpose, intensity, right to pause or leave. Consent is a living process, not a checkbox.
Lore Example:
The best simulations start with a “portal ritual”: briefing, Q&A, safe words/exit codes. IRL: students and staff know what’s coming, why, and how to opt out or self-advocate.
Possible Solutions:
Written & verbal pre-simulation briefing
Clearly posted, stigma-free opt-out pathways
Post-event feedback forms (with a “never again” option)
Rule 2: Simulations must have purpose beyond fear.
Empathy, not trauma, is the goal. The best simulations are crafted like stories—with build-up, escalation, climax, and resolution—not just “impact.” People remember what they reflect on, not just what they feel.
Lore Example:
The “Every 15 Minutes” drunk-driving crash: is it just spectacle, or do students reflect, create, and hear from survivors? In my world, every simulation is followed by a “circle of memory” for sharing, art, or worldbuilding.
Possible Solutions:
Design with clear learning outcomes
Pre/post creative projects or surveys
Connect every simulation to broader ethics or policy curriculum
Rule 3: Start small, spiral up.
Shock without prep retraumatizes or breeds cynicism. Best practice: use layers—first mild (mirrored text, earplugs), then immersive, then story-based. Reflect after each.
Lore Example:
SELPA-style simulators use “stations”: mirror box (dyslexia), gloves (dexterity), weighted packs (mobility), noisy headphones (processing). Students rotate, pause, reflect. In VR, start with mild distortion before panic-mode.
Possible Solutions:
Simulate multiple disabilities/traumas, gradually intensify, scaffold breaks
Group sharing/drawing/writing between stages
If using makeup/gore/VR, build in buffer time before & after
Rule 4: “Nothing about us without us.”
Simulations must be co-designed, informed, or led by people with lived experience. Avoid caricature and accidental harm; center community advocates and real stories.
Lore Example:
Every empathy ritual in my world is designed and led by a council of survivors, disabled leaders, and artists. They run debriefs, lead change, and share expertise.
Possible Solutions:
Hire/compensate lived-experience consultants
Use art/testimony/media from real people
Build ongoing partnerships, not one-off events
Rule 5: Debrief is everything.
Aftercare and processing are non-negotiable. Without a safe space to digest, participants can leave confused, shamed, or self-blaming. Journaling, circles, art, or structured silence make experience meaningful.
Lore Example:
SELPA’s AAW manual recommends post-simulation circles, prompt questions, and art or meme-making. Trauma-informed debriefs never force sharing—silent time, writing, or opt-out responses are honored.
Possible Solutions:
Always schedule guided debrief, not just “see you at lunch”
Offer many reflection modes: group, solo, written, audio, visual
Counselors/support staff available for anyone overwhelmed
Rule 6: Simulations must drive real change.
It’s demoralizing to share hard truths in a simulation—then see nothing change. Humane sims create “policy portals”—ways for feedback to reach leadership, and for learning to lead to action.
Lore Example:
In my world, every empathy ritual is a hinge: new accommodations, sensory reforms, or curriculum updates follow. The spiral completes only when learning leads to change.
Possible Solutions:
Collect & summarize all feedback for leaders
Public “what we heard, what we’re doing” posts
Require admin follow-up: what’s different in 3, 6, 12 months?
Rule 7: “First, do no harm.”
Beware secondary trauma and triggers—especially for those with similar lived experiences. Support, opt-outs, and resources are essential. Never make someone’s pain a spectacle for others’ learning.
Lore Example:
A student who lost a friend to drunk driving shouldn’t be forced to watch or act in a crash simulation. Disability simulators should clarify: “You’re seeing a slice, not the full daily reality or stigma.”
Possible Solutions:
Quiet opt-out at any time, no penalty
Counselors/support staff available during & after
Emphasize: simulation ≠ real life, empathy is a start—not the end
Rule 8: Make simulations a creative spiral.
Empathy sticks when it becomes story. Let participants build worlds, design comics, write letters, or create videos from what they learned. Move the goal from “don’t do this” to “how would you change the world?”
Lore Example:
Students who do disability or trauma sims write AUs: redesigning classrooms, building universal societies, or scripting restorative endings to mock crashes. These ripple into activism.
Possible Solutions:
Pair simulation with project-based learning, art, or public storytelling
Let students co-create new rituals, traditions, or policy
Fund public storytelling on what worked—and what must change
Simulation, done right, is never “one and done.” It’s a living spiral—test, reflect, redesign, try again. Every cycle becomes more humane, creative, and rooted in real experience. The societies that spiral up aren’t the ones that never wound, but the ones that learn, adapt, and move upward.
In my worlds (and the one I hope to build), every empathy ritual is a spiral staircase: you enter with one view, leave with another. You’re never forced, never alone, always invited to help write the next chapter.
Pre-Event: Consent forms, trigger warnings, orientation
During: Layered intensity, lived-experience guidance, easy opt-outs
Debrief: Multi-modal reflection, guided discussion, counselors/support
Follow-up: Policy review, “what we learned/changed” posts, creative projects, longitudinal check-ins
Core Values: Safety, agency, dignity, creativity, spiral-up worldbuilding
Simulations are not just events—they’re living myth, a way for communities to ritualize empathy and build better systems. Humane simulations honor risk, care for the vulnerable, and always spiral toward real-world change. The future is not shock and awe, but care, creativity, and courage.
Let every ritual become a portal. Let every portal lead to a better story. Spiral up.