Barast society The Neanderthal Parallax

1 barast society

1.1 family life
1.2 government , justice
1.3 environment
1.4 language
1.5 economy
1.6 medicine
1.7 religion

barast society

barasts (neanderthals) dedicated hunter-gatherers, , have no developed concept of agriculture. despite this, still technologically advanced, possessing quantum computers, helicopters, communications, , biological recording instruments. live in harmony environment, using clean energy, living homes, , keeping constant population. measure long periods of time in lunar months, not years. total barast population lower, numbering 185 million worldwide compared gliksins (humans ) 6 billion.

family life

due advanced senses of smell, barasts sensitive pheromones. accordingly, women , men live in separate communities 25 out of every 29 days. 4 days when come — known 2 becoming 1 — cause of monthly celebration , holiday. barast women have synchronized menstrual cycles, , meeting-times set conception unlikely — except every 10 years, when generation purposely conceived. generations grow in synchronized, ten-year cycles; no barast needs give age, stating generation (if not inferred appearance) give needed information.

all children live mothers until reach age of ten; boys go live fathers. children remain appropriate parent until approximate age of 18.

it should noted not imply other forms of sexual discrimination. barast find idea of considering either sex better other reason foreign (female barast not suffer large-scale physical incapacity due pregnancy). separation voluntary , cultural thing, , people of both sexes free go other lives @ times, find physically , socially discomfiting when 2 not one. however, facilities , living styles , separate equal in barast society, , in rare event difficult or resource intensive (for example, large scale scientific facilities), separation ignored without incident.

while opposite-sex couples form long-term bonds similar marriage, same true of life during rest of month. barasts consider bisexual gliksin definition; form same-sex bonds while 2 not one. each adult chooses, no matter gender, has man-mate , woman-mate; 1 procreation , genetic family basis, other companionship , family unit base when opposite-sex partner not present. larger, intertwined family networks result add cohesion barast society.

government , justice

the barast world has single government hierarchy: each region of globe governed local gray council; these in turn answer high gray council, world government.

about 8 decades before time of novels, companion implants perfected , issued barasts. these comprehensive recording , transmission devices, mounted in forearm of each person. entire life monitored , sent alibi archive, repository of recordings accessible owner, or proper authorities when investigating infraction, , in latter case in circumstances relevant investigation. recordings maintained after death; not made clear reasoning , under circumstances , or whom deceased person s archive can accessed.

any serious crime has single punishment: castration of offender , others share @ least half genes (parents, siblings, , children). eugenic practice serves keep undesirable elements out of gene pool without severely punishing offender, beyond loss of genetic heritage.

as result, serious crimes of sort virtually unknown in barast world. exception sexual crimes committed partner. because punishment such crimes, such spousal abuse, include castration of complainant s own children, these crimes unreported. while divorce barast simple matter of deciding , declaring not person, in such relationships find trapped, freeing partner seek new mate opens possibility new mate report violent activity.

because barast physical strength higher of gliksin, physical violence between them result in death or serious injury. lack direct physical confrontation sports , martial arts (the second lacking additionally because barast not believe in conflict; have had 1 war in recent history, loss of 83 people being considered horrendous tragedy). physical violence, if reported, results in immediate imposition of castration. however, because punishment severe, these incidents not reported officially, , if injured party willing forgive, , aggressor undertakes counseling anger management, incident may go unpunished. such incident admissible in future legal hearing evidence of prior disposition violence, however.

environment

lower population levels , absence of large-scale agriculture mean many species exist extinct on gliksin version of earth. these include not birds such passenger pigeon, megafauna such woolly mammoth. also, forests more extensive because there no need cut them down on large scale. barasts have domesticated wolves companions, have not bred them many varieties of domestic dog. gliksin may become fearful upon seeing barast dog, thinking wild wolf. barast, seeing gliksin s dog such dachshund, may wonder if creature dog.

it heavily implied barast did not spread large areas of world until after had achieved high level of civilization. 1 scene has gliksin , barast ancestor looking across mediterranean; gliksin ancestor eagerly sets off explore new, strange place, while barast ancestor notes existence , goes home. consistent hunter-gatherer lifestyle favors high levels of knowledge concerning land , low migration, including general avoidance of danger. also, mentioned barast naturally of higher intelligence gliksin, average iq being 10% higher before several generation eugenic campaign, during least intelligent 10% voluntarily sterilized increase species intelligence (no data given on post campaign iq comparison). theorized difference additional reason lower occurrence of extinction events: because of higher intelligence, barast able recognize far earlier in civilization over-hunting deplete species.

the climate in barast world cooler, because of lack of greenhouse gases compared gliksins earth. barasts not heat-tolerant gliksins, because evolved on cooler earth , due greater muscle mass. result, tropical regions of earth underpopulated polar regions on gliksins earth. significant story feature state of earth s magnetic field. in barast world reversal of polarity happened shortly before story starts , caused no noticeable harm barasts. why pole reversals off several years, ascribed random small differences on intervening 40,000 years. in gliksin world happening stories take place; has effect on minds of gliksins, brain structures different barasts (see religion).

language

with use of computer-aided communication devices, readers see glimpse of barast language. dooslarm basadlarm refers judicial preliminary hearing literal translation of asking small before asking large. phrase dusble korbul kalbtadu translated in quantum-computing facility. barast language rendered english when action takes place in barast world. 1 aspect of language can discerned through use of words gristle! , marrowless bone curses register of speech derived directly real-world items. customary barast greeting healthy day.

economy

barast not have monetary economy. each person given need when need it, , in turn expected work @ providing meaningful contribution society. no barast ever dream of attempting take more need society, , because of stable population, there no issues scarcity (the population level stabilized @ point in order prevent such issues developing).

barast consider work in terms of how contributes society, , work not contribute sufficiently stopped. leads lack of knowledge in areas, such astrophysics, such pursuits stopped once ceased produce meaningful improvements in ordinary life. leads over-specialization, driving considered specialized contribution , how known public conveyors sole contribution taxi people point point or drive public buses.

occasionally, barast may voluntarily remove society in order continue work has been deemed not meaningful or protest when work purposefully stopped dangerous. individual move away community isolated area, , thereafter support themselves. not able ask assistance greater community, , in cases remove alibi archive implant protest (so life after leaving community not recorded) or have removed involuntarily (to prevent further recording regarding dangerous work). isolation voluntary, , can have visitors or opt return community @ time, although returning requires resume providing meaningful contribution (and cease dangerous work, if reason leaving).

medicine

barast medicine has become largely automated, , doctors, aside first aid (excepting researchers), operate , maintain technology. technology highly robust , able adapted gliksin physiology after contact.

a notable difference in medical practice result of lack of squeamishness displayed barast. rather using anesthesia surgery, technology uses direct neural blocks cut off signals body part being operated on while operation performed in full view of doctor , patient being operated on. barast not find disturbing in least, 1 gliksin theorizes because, still civilization composed of active hunters, have been exposed such scenes since childhood.

religion

the barasts have no religion , no concept of religion. not due simple disbelief or worldwide atheism. barasts never had religion , not physically capable of believing in god or gods or having religious experiences due structure of brains. prior contact between gliksins , barasts, barasts had no concept of creator; afterlife or souls never occurred them. barasts not understand how gliksins can possibly believe in stories religions tell, , frustrated gliksins insistence of truth of beliefs. nevertheless, barasts accept religion part of gliksins are. barasts not believe universe had beginning , not adhere big bang theory. instead, believe universe has existed, , can point scientific evidence , verified theory belief. believe gliksin theories concerning origin of universe exist because of gliksin need believe in creator, , beginning, biases gliksin science. story ends before large-scale intermingling , rationalization of 2 races science can begin, ultimate outcome of detailed comparison between these viewpoints unknown.