Thinking about Arcologies
Sep. 23rd, 2013 07:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valarltdAs I write a cyberpunk future, an arcology is THE place to live.
An arcology is a giant enclosed system. A terrarium for humans, if you will. It has work spaces and living spaces, recreational facilities and everything the dwellers need. They never have to go outside. Indeed, the building is so large, there are parks inside it, with solar geodesic panels that feel like the out-of-doors.
The air is clean. You can walk out of your front door without a breather mask. The climate is always comfortable, no freeing in the winter or sweltering in the summer.
The water is pure and drinkable and always on. No coming home filthy at midnight and having to wait until 8 AM for a tepid shower. You can have hot running water through your whole shower, and drink straight from the tap.
There is food. Every living quarter (house, apartment, townhouse, etc) has a food synth that works on soyamix, shaping and flavoring it. There is also real food, vegetables from the hydroponic farms and vat-grown cloned meats.
The place is secure. No vermin, from the smallest flea to the human variety, enter in. Those among the population who turn criminal (save in direct service of the arcology) are dealt with swiftly. Due process is observed, and lesser offense are subject to rehabilitation but those deemed threats are sent to the recycling vats.
There is entertainment: all units come with a direct pipeline into the main computer: every movie, every book, every bit of recorded music, is available at a person's fingertips. Live music, beautiful parks, thrill rides, live theater, art galleries and classes are all available to the residents.
There is work. The denizens of an arcology have work to do. From the maintenance tech in the recycling vats to the personal assistant to the CEO, everyone has a job they are well suited to do, competent at and find fulfilling. Much work is done by people instead of more efficient automation in order to provide work.
A child born in the arcology would have a mother who got pre-natal care and vitamins. It would most likely come to term, unlike 75% of pregnancies outside which miscarry from enviro-toxins. Should our little one arrive early, there are NICU hospitals to help.
Mama will have a support system of other mothers, visiting nurses and possibly even her own mother, to help her through the trials of baby care, especially if this is the first. She can call at any time to ask why the poop looks like sand or what to do when baby has discovered climbing. Mama has maternity leave, with full benefits.
Preschool starts at three. It is skill-building play, as are the best programs.
Schooling runs as high as Kidlet is capable of taking it. Not terribly interested in school, but make things grow like Gaia herself? Have a gardner's apprentice program in the parks. Complete bookworm, loves to learn, here, have two or three PhDs. There is no wasted potential. No geniuses flipping clone-beef burgers because they couldn't get enough education to do more.
Work is tailored to the worker. Batteries of aptitude tests have guided the schooling, and now find exactly the right niche for the adult.
Relationships are conducted among a large pool of compatible people. Most people end up partnered to one or more people from this group.
Life expectancy is about 80 years, unlike the 57-60 outside.
All religions have a place (within reason, no human sacrifice faiths), with ablution rooms next to saint shrines, and maypoles in the parks.
So, is this a dream, or a nightmare?
People I know say they should be horrified by it, but the prospect of having all the Maslow pyramid covered is rather tempting. They worry about complacency.
I considered writing about arcology dwellers, but so much conflict has been engineered out of their lives, there isn't much worth writing about.
Me? I want my living quarters, please.
An arcology is a giant enclosed system. A terrarium for humans, if you will. It has work spaces and living spaces, recreational facilities and everything the dwellers need. They never have to go outside. Indeed, the building is so large, there are parks inside it, with solar geodesic panels that feel like the out-of-doors.
The air is clean. You can walk out of your front door without a breather mask. The climate is always comfortable, no freeing in the winter or sweltering in the summer.
The water is pure and drinkable and always on. No coming home filthy at midnight and having to wait until 8 AM for a tepid shower. You can have hot running water through your whole shower, and drink straight from the tap.
There is food. Every living quarter (house, apartment, townhouse, etc) has a food synth that works on soyamix, shaping and flavoring it. There is also real food, vegetables from the hydroponic farms and vat-grown cloned meats.
The place is secure. No vermin, from the smallest flea to the human variety, enter in. Those among the population who turn criminal (save in direct service of the arcology) are dealt with swiftly. Due process is observed, and lesser offense are subject to rehabilitation but those deemed threats are sent to the recycling vats.
There is entertainment: all units come with a direct pipeline into the main computer: every movie, every book, every bit of recorded music, is available at a person's fingertips. Live music, beautiful parks, thrill rides, live theater, art galleries and classes are all available to the residents.
There is work. The denizens of an arcology have work to do. From the maintenance tech in the recycling vats to the personal assistant to the CEO, everyone has a job they are well suited to do, competent at and find fulfilling. Much work is done by people instead of more efficient automation in order to provide work.
A child born in the arcology would have a mother who got pre-natal care and vitamins. It would most likely come to term, unlike 75% of pregnancies outside which miscarry from enviro-toxins. Should our little one arrive early, there are NICU hospitals to help.
Mama will have a support system of other mothers, visiting nurses and possibly even her own mother, to help her through the trials of baby care, especially if this is the first. She can call at any time to ask why the poop looks like sand or what to do when baby has discovered climbing. Mama has maternity leave, with full benefits.
Preschool starts at three. It is skill-building play, as are the best programs.
Schooling runs as high as Kidlet is capable of taking it. Not terribly interested in school, but make things grow like Gaia herself? Have a gardner's apprentice program in the parks. Complete bookworm, loves to learn, here, have two or three PhDs. There is no wasted potential. No geniuses flipping clone-beef burgers because they couldn't get enough education to do more.
Work is tailored to the worker. Batteries of aptitude tests have guided the schooling, and now find exactly the right niche for the adult.
Relationships are conducted among a large pool of compatible people. Most people end up partnered to one or more people from this group.
Life expectancy is about 80 years, unlike the 57-60 outside.
All religions have a place (within reason, no human sacrifice faiths), with ablution rooms next to saint shrines, and maypoles in the parks.
So, is this a dream, or a nightmare?
People I know say they should be horrified by it, but the prospect of having all the Maslow pyramid covered is rather tempting. They worry about complacency.
I considered writing about arcology dwellers, but so much conflict has been engineered out of their lives, there isn't much worth writing about.
Me? I want my living quarters, please.
