Mars Culture Lore 1 the Martian Character

Mars Culture Lore Mars in the late 2250s and early 2260s has a population estimated at anywhere from 10 million to 15 million, making it the most populous planet in the Solar System after Earth and one of the most populous of all human worlds. It has been settled for almost a century and there are several fourth-generation Martians who can trace their ancestries back to John Carter's crew or even Carter himself. 1 The Martian Character The people on Mars are highly varied and there are few if any dominant `Marzie' traits. There is no well-defined Martian accent, for example, or broad stereotypical behaviour. The domes of Mars include Christians Jews, Muslims, Foundationists, atheists and others in roughly the same proportions as Earth, though there are a number of growing doctrinal differences. There are no unusual skewings in Martian sexual orientation or preferred practices, although families tend to have more children (despite the cramped conditions) and there is a slight but statistically meaningful reduction in the rate of divorce. In general, Martians tend to be more tolerant of private behaviour and less tolerant of public expressions of it. The cramped domes, tight tube trains, smallish public facilities and few open spaces mean that it is difficult to escape rude behaviour on the parts of others, from excessive body odor to second-hand smoke to loud music. What happens behind closed doors is considered to be nobody's business but in public Martians expect their neighbours to reduce the impact of their actions on each other. The general closeness of Martian life means that personal space is at a premium and that close contact is simply a part of day-to-day life. A Martian is likely to stand much closer than other humans feel comfortable with. By the same token, flamboyant gestures are likely to annoy, so Martians tend be unexpressive with body language, relying on subtle shifts in pose or facial expression to express their feelings. Gluttony is considered one of the worst sins on Mars, especially if food or water goes to waste. Conspicuous consumption is frowned on, even by the very rich | wealthy folks who emigrate from Earth are usually advised to leave their gaudiest items back home and to take only those things they truly need. A wealthy Martian wears one or two small but beautiful jewels rather than a mountain of them; a Martian's personal vehicle is small and very well maintained rather than large and loud. Martian society is not opposed to wealth but to waste | ordering expensive food is fine, eating one bite and throwing the rest away is a major faux pus. In other words, having money to burn is fine | actually burning it is unacceptable. 1.1 Arts and Leisure In general, Martians share the same taste in art as the rest of the Earth Alliance. Mozart plays in the concert halls, Rebo and Zooty movies attract devoted fans (and sneers from 1 the elite), Drazi in the House remains the highest-rated tri-vid series year after year and so on. However, just as the American colonies quickly developed their own distinctive cultural expressions in the decades following their separation from England, so too has Martian society begun to find its own voice. Whether the Great Martian Novel has yet to be written is a matter of considerable debate among the literati but there are definite cultural shifts occurring and distinctly Martian art forms are taking shape. 1.1.1 Anti-Functionalism This is a movement in architecture and industrial design that grew out of the limited space available to most Martians for purely aesthetic items. Anti-functionalism holds that func- tional items should be attractive as well as useful and that a couch, table, bookcase or computer should be as decorated as possible. Rather than neutral furniture highlighting sculpture or painting, Martians have couches which double as sculpture or bookcases with embedded liquid crystal displays. Everything from links to fountain pens contains some purely useless elements that exist only for decoration's sake. 1.1.2 Tunnel Rap Every subculture develops its own indigenous music, often very rapidly, and the style of music called tunnel rap (blending the `tunnel rat' and the 20th/21st-century style of heavily rhythmic, often political music) quickly took shape in the 2040s, when Martian independence became much more mainstream in the wake of the Food Riots. However, much of the music has little to do with independence per se and much to do with the tunnel rat lifestyle of survival. desperation and community born of necessity. Tunnel rap is popular among well-off Martians, especially the young, who often adopt clothing in the scavenged, hand-sewn style of the tunnel dwellers and attempt to mimic their attitudes and culture. Such imitators are looked on with contempt by those for whom the struggle for survival is a daily reality, not a fashion statement. 1.1.3 Dome Cooking This form of cuisine takes its name from an early cooking program from the 2030s, the title of which was some marketing exec's idea of a clever pun (on `home cooking'). `Dome cooking' has become a generic term lor the indigenous Martian style of cooking, which relies on a minimum of fresh meat and vegetables added to a larger quantity of synthetics, hydroponics and textured proteins. Each ethnic culture on Mars has adapted many of its staple foods to the necessities of Martian life | only the very wealthy can afford not to stretch their food budget with synthetics. 2 2 Politics 2.1 Factions and Groups While most discussion of politics on Mars prior to Independence focus on the activities of the Resistance, there are also many groups dedicated to change within the system | and for that matter, groups which support the status quo for reasons ideological, personal or both. The following is a selection of some of them. 2.1.1 Children of Earth The simplistic view that all Martians want independence is false. Many born and raised on Mars do not consider themselves `Martians' but simply humans born on Mars. They are loyal to Earth, the world of their ancestors. They know that Martian colonisation was not cheap for Earth and that Earth deserves something back. They point out that the Provisional Government established in the 2150s was the direct result of Martian disloyalty (in not aiding Earth against the Minbari) and stupidity (destroying agrodomes and food warehouses in riots, making a bad situation infinitely worse). They argue that the shared history and culture of Earth and Mars makes the idea of a separate Martian society somewhat simplistic that having two independent governments in the same star system is a recipe for political disaster and that Earth is acting pragmatically, not cruelly, in opposing it. Children of Earth tend to come from the upper crust of Martian society, often those who have many genetic or business connections back on Earth. It would be foolish and wrong to think of them as mindless shills for EarthGov. They consider themselves to be patriots loyal to humanity as a single species, not to provincial subcultures. Following Martian Independence, many Children of Earth decide to emigrate, especially those who had been very vocal in their criticism of the `terrorists' who were now the new government. Some, however, stay on and serve as the nucleus of a pro-Earth wing within Martian politics, one that advocates reconciliation and close ties with the mother planet. 2.1.2 Dejah Thoris Society This group originally began as a bit of a joke (as the name would indicate), a sort of self- aware parody of 20th century groups such as the Daughters of the American Revolution. It was founded in 2220 by a group of four politically active women who were direct descendants of the first colonists. The group became active in Martian politics and was one of the earliest `respectable' groups to agitate for Martian Independence. It also addresses issues of special concern to women on Mars, from the need for special care during pregnancy to counteract gravitational effects on the fetus to rights for sex workers in the less-regulated brothels of New Vegas. The Deetees, as they are known, skew older and richer than most activist groups and put on a great show of respectability but they are seasoned political veterans whose support, tacit or overt, can be vital. 3 2.1.3 Mars Provisional Congress Prior to the Food Riots, Mars was considered a member nation of the Earth Alliance, much like other nations. When EarthGov took over it removed all local authority, including the Martian Congress. In 2252, following demands for democracy and accountability, EarthGov grudgingly restored the Congress, allowing old members to run for re-election if they wished. The newly formed Provisional Congress, however, had no authority. Any legislation it passed could be vetoed by EarthGov without any ability to override. It could not even fund itself via taxation; its budget was set by EarthGov and it was not set high. By the time of the second election in 2254, most of the genuinely politically concerned candidates refused to run again; they would not participate in a sham. This mass walkout crossed all political lines; politicians who had spent their early careers eviscerating each other were united in opposition. The result was that the Provisional Congress became less than a rubber-stamp for EarthGov; it became a status symbol crossed with a debating society and those who ran for election to it were those who wished to seek favor with EarthGov, those who wished the faux honor of being a `Congressman' and those who felt even a crippled Congress would provide enough corruption opportunities to enrich themselves.

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