Worldbuilding Through Culture

THE SLIDING SCALE

Now that you've got a more thorough understanding of the morals and minutiae of your culture, it's time to add one last dimension to your understanding: the weight of them.

By thinking about how the laws, morals, and taboos of your culture are applied to people in different socioeconomic situations in the culture, you've already been thinking about it on a sliding scale of application. Now, I want you to take a step back and look at the whole of your society as if it was, indeed, a monolith–that is, if you looked at the most average, normal, integrated person of the society, and determined their average behaviour, where would they fall on a scale?

Based on the theory of Cultural Dimensions developed by Geert Hofstede(Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. McGraw Hill; 3rd edition 2010)., I've put together a collection of binary concepts for you to review. Keep in mind that absolutely average citizen of your culture, and make a mark where you think their experience and expectations land on the scale.

Be aware that while these scales represent binary opposites, one extreme is not better than the other. These are not value judgements, simply contrasting concepts.

Mark where your fictional culture generally lands on the sliding scale:

Individual Group

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Whose happiness is top of mind when making decisions? Do people do what's best for the harmony and safety of the group, or what's best for their own personal dreams?

Egalitarian Hierarchical

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Is anyone more important than others? Is there a strict, codified system of special-ness, or is everyone's individual worth, values, and desires equally valued?

Direct Indirect

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When communicating, how blunt are people? Is it polite to say what you really mean/want, or is it rude? Are there euphemisms to discuss unpleasant topics, or roundabout ways of saying no?

Relationship Merit

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How is success achieved? Are promotions, advantageous marriages, and favours granted because of who people are and who they know, or because of their work ethic and skillset?

Romance Contract

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How are legal partnerships viewed? Why do marriages exist, and do they offer legal benefits? Are partnerships established by the individuals involved, or by the state?

Irredeemable Rehabilitable

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Do they believe that wrongdoers are redeemable? Are they born evil? Or is it believed people are pressed into or learn to be evil, and therefore can become good again?

Private Public

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Are people allowed to express opinions in public? How far is too far in terms of public displays of affection? Are the meetings of government and court rulings available to read? In how much detail? How much of daily life is lived or enjoyed out of doors?

Perfect Democracy Absolute Monarchy

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Who holds the power? How democratic is the governing system? Does everyone get a vote, and is it rigged? How much personal power does the head of state wield, and is it tempered in any way by law or government? How is power distributed and transitioned?

Fast Slow

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What is the pace of living? The speed of communication? How urgent are everyday things? Is slowing down a luxury, or an expectation? Is dining an inconvenience or indulgent pageantry? Do people marry young?

Progress Stagnation

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How keen are people to adopt the newest trends and technologies? Is there pushback about too much, too fast? Is there frustration about those holding society back?

Extravagant Frugal

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Is it considered morally superior to hoard wealth or to spend it? Do people spend excess wealth on personal frivolities, or in enriching their community? Do people spend showily or subtly? Do people save for the future?

Agrarian Urban

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Is there a moral superiority associated with where one lives? An aesthetic one? Is most of the population centred in one area over another? Is there an idealized, unrealistic preference for one over another?

Aesthetic Spartan

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How important are art and decoration? How important is being educated and opinionated about art? Is fussiness valued in food, fashion, and decor, or is minimalism?

Structured Free-flowing

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How rigidly are places, events, lives, and art planned? Do they go with the flow? Do people celebrate randomness? Are life milestones rigidly enforced?

Religious Agnostic

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Is faith, belief, ritual, and worship a daily part of the lives of your people? Is it only weekly? Monthly? Seasonal? Do the unknowable things in life enchant them or are they ignored? Do they do anything to acknowledge the possibility of unseen forces or creatures?

Long Term Short Term

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Do your people plan for the future? Or are they all about gratification in the present? Is stockpiling seen as wise or selfish? Do they have retirement or contingency plans? Do they take joy in the ephemerality of existence and celebrate the present?