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Murinus
Murinus
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Are we talking about a human society?

In this case probably not. Humans do not bear many children. Depending on how "normal" you want murder to be I would argue that this would be a problem. In order for something to not have people question it and considering it as normal it needs to happen at least somewhat frequently. Imagine someone doing pushups in the supermarket. Nothing wrong with it but it is not normal. Why not? Probably because you do not really see people doing it other than that "weird guy". Now if killing was "too normal" your population would shrink instead of grow.

Another Problem is that humanity is focused on long term relationships. The fact that the word "Icebreaker" even exists means that there is some sort of barrier when having the first conversation. However when we are past that point we may form lifelong friendships or relationships and those people start becoming important for us. Typically when we want to do something that involves multiple people we choose friends instead of strangers. Because of that if someone kills a friend of you, you won't be happy. You lost something important.

Last, I want to touch on the topic that humanity is vengeful. If someone takes something important from you, you may want to kill that person, especially if it's legal. The combination of focus on long term relationships and vengeance lead to a vicious killing cycle. Pair that with a low birth rate and your society would either die out or make killing illegal or at least not morally acceptable.

But suppose our society is not human, could it then work?

Meet the swarm!

A swarmling typically lives a short life and is not scared to either die or deliver death. It is seen as something normal, something that just happens in their society.

A swarmling bears many children, hundreds, maybe thousands. This also means they cannot care for children like we humans do. Typically children stop being in touch with their parents once they can care for themselves. If a swarmling loses a child they might not even notice. Overall they value the community higher than the individual. They do not value the person that they spent the entire week with higher than the person they have not met yet. If you want to talk, you talk to a stranger. If you want to drink, you drink with a stranger. If you need help, a stranger helps you.

As for vengeance? Sure, they can be vengeful. Hard to justify much killing going on if you take away the concept of repaying someone who has wronged you and remember, we want killing to be normal.

What could a swarmling day look like?

Jeffs children moved out last week, so there is no real reason anymore to stay with his wife. He is moving out but it does take a while to move his stuff from one location to another. As he drives to his new home 7 murderskillings occur. Nothing unusual. He gets there, looks around, chooses the swarmling that looks the least occupied and asks for help moving stuff upstairs. They are instantly friendly with each other and talk about what is going on in their lifes. Jeff wants to drink in the evening and asks the swarmling to come along. They agree to it. Once downstairs another swarmling comes by and shoots this one. Jeff starts talking to the new swarmling and learns that he had a bad week and needed to get it out of his system. No other reason, he chose a victim randomly. Understandable. Jeff is reminded that life is short and should be lived to the fullest. He also just lost his drinking buddy so he asks the new swarmling to come along. He most likely needs it as he has been having a bad week. They drink and talk about their lifes then never meet again.

Are we talking about a human society?

In this case probably not. Humans do not bear many children. Depending on how "normal" you want murder to be I would argue that this would be a problem. In order for something to not have people question it and considering it as normal it needs to happen at least somewhat frequently. Imagine someone doing pushups in the supermarket. Nothing wrong with it but it is not normal. Why not? Probably because you do not really see people doing it other than that "weird guy". Now if killing was "too normal" your population would shrink instead of grow.

Another Problem is that humanity is focused on long term relationships. The fact that the word "Icebreaker" even exists means that there is some sort of barrier when having the first conversation. However when we are past that point we may form lifelong friendships or relationships and those people start becoming important for us. Typically when we want to do something that involves multiple people we choose friends instead of strangers. Because of that if someone kills a friend of you, you won't be happy. You lost something important.

Last, I want to touch on the topic that humanity is vengeful. If someone takes something important from you, you may want to kill that person, especially if it's legal. The combination of focus on long term relationships and vengeance lead to a vicious killing cycle. Pair that with a low birth rate and your society would either die out or make killing illegal or at least not morally acceptable.

But suppose our society is not human, could it then work?

Meet the swarm!

A swarmling typically lives a short life and is not scared to either die or deliver death. It is seen as something normal, something that just happens in their society.

A swarmling bears many children, hundreds, maybe thousands. This also means they cannot care for children like we humans do. Typically children stop being in touch with their parents once they can care for themselves. If a swarmling loses a child they might not even notice. Overall they value the community higher than the individual. They do not value the person that they spent the entire week with higher than the person they have not met yet. If you want to talk, you talk to a stranger. If you want to drink, you drink with a stranger. If you need help, a stranger helps you.

As for vengeance? Sure, they can be vengeful. Hard to justify much killing going on if you take away the concept of repaying someone who has wronged you and remember, we want killing to be normal.

What could a swarmling day look like?

Jeffs children moved out last week, so there is no real reason anymore to stay with his wife. He is moving out but it does take a while to move his stuff from one location to another. As he drives to his new home 7 murders occur. Nothing unusual. He gets there, looks around, chooses the swarmling that looks the least occupied and asks for help moving stuff upstairs. They are instantly friendly with each other and talk about what is going on in their lifes. Jeff wants to drink in the evening and asks the swarmling to come along. They agree to it. Once downstairs another swarmling comes by and shoots this one. Jeff starts talking to the new swarmling and learns that he had a bad week and needed to get it out of his system. No other reason, he chose a victim randomly. Understandable. Jeff is reminded that life is short and should be lived to the fullest. He also just lost his drinking buddy so he asks the new swarmling to come along. He most likely needs it as he has been having a bad week. They drink and talk about their lifes then never meet again.

Are we talking about a human society?

In this case probably not. Humans do not bear many children. Depending on how "normal" you want murder to be I would argue that this would be a problem. In order for something to not have people question it and considering it as normal it needs to happen at least somewhat frequently. Imagine someone doing pushups in the supermarket. Nothing wrong with it but it is not normal. Why not? Probably because you do not really see people doing it other than that "weird guy". Now if killing was "too normal" your population would shrink instead of grow.

Another Problem is that humanity is focused on long term relationships. The fact that the word "Icebreaker" even exists means that there is some sort of barrier when having the first conversation. However when we are past that point we may form lifelong friendships or relationships and those people start becoming important for us. Typically when we want to do something that involves multiple people we choose friends instead of strangers. Because of that if someone kills a friend of you, you won't be happy. You lost something important.

Last, I want to touch on the topic that humanity is vengeful. If someone takes something important from you, you may want to kill that person, especially if it's legal. The combination of focus on long term relationships and vengeance lead to a vicious killing cycle. Pair that with a low birth rate and your society would either die out or make killing illegal or at least not morally acceptable.

But suppose our society is not human, could it then work?

Meet the swarm!

A swarmling typically lives a short life and is not scared to either die or deliver death. It is seen as something normal, something that just happens in their society.

A swarmling bears many children, hundreds, maybe thousands. This also means they cannot care for children like we humans do. Typically children stop being in touch with their parents once they can care for themselves. If a swarmling loses a child they might not even notice. Overall they value the community higher than the individual. They do not value the person that they spent the entire week with higher than the person they have not met yet. If you want to talk, you talk to a stranger. If you want to drink, you drink with a stranger. If you need help, a stranger helps you.

As for vengeance? Sure, they can be vengeful. Hard to justify much killing going on if you take away the concept of repaying someone who has wronged you and remember, we want killing to be normal.

What could a swarmling day look like?

Jeffs children moved out last week, so there is no real reason anymore to stay with his wife. He is moving out but it does take a while to move his stuff from one location to another. As he drives to his new home 7 killings occur. Nothing unusual. He gets there, looks around, chooses the swarmling that looks the least occupied and asks for help moving stuff upstairs. They are instantly friendly with each other and talk about what is going on in their lifes. Jeff wants to drink in the evening and asks the swarmling to come along. They agree to it. Once downstairs another swarmling comes by and shoots this one. Jeff starts talking to the new swarmling and learns that he had a bad week and needed to get it out of his system. No other reason, he chose a victim randomly. Understandable. Jeff is reminded that life is short and should be lived to the fullest. He also just lost his drinking buddy so he asks the new swarmling to come along. He most likely needs it as he has been having a bad week. They drink and talk about their lifes then never meet again.

Source Link
Murinus
Murinus
  • 379
  • 1
  • 8

Are we talking about a human society?

In this case probably not. Humans do not bear many children. Depending on how "normal" you want murder to be I would argue that this would be a problem. In order for something to not have people question it and considering it as normal it needs to happen at least somewhat frequently. Imagine someone doing pushups in the supermarket. Nothing wrong with it but it is not normal. Why not? Probably because you do not really see people doing it other than that "weird guy". Now if killing was "too normal" your population would shrink instead of grow.

Another Problem is that humanity is focused on long term relationships. The fact that the word "Icebreaker" even exists means that there is some sort of barrier when having the first conversation. However when we are past that point we may form lifelong friendships or relationships and those people start becoming important for us. Typically when we want to do something that involves multiple people we choose friends instead of strangers. Because of that if someone kills a friend of you, you won't be happy. You lost something important.

Last, I want to touch on the topic that humanity is vengeful. If someone takes something important from you, you may want to kill that person, especially if it's legal. The combination of focus on long term relationships and vengeance lead to a vicious killing cycle. Pair that with a low birth rate and your society would either die out or make killing illegal or at least not morally acceptable.

But suppose our society is not human, could it then work?

Meet the swarm!

A swarmling typically lives a short life and is not scared to either die or deliver death. It is seen as something normal, something that just happens in their society.

A swarmling bears many children, hundreds, maybe thousands. This also means they cannot care for children like we humans do. Typically children stop being in touch with their parents once they can care for themselves. If a swarmling loses a child they might not even notice. Overall they value the community higher than the individual. They do not value the person that they spent the entire week with higher than the person they have not met yet. If you want to talk, you talk to a stranger. If you want to drink, you drink with a stranger. If you need help, a stranger helps you.

As for vengeance? Sure, they can be vengeful. Hard to justify much killing going on if you take away the concept of repaying someone who has wronged you and remember, we want killing to be normal.

What could a swarmling day look like?

Jeffs children moved out last week, so there is no real reason anymore to stay with his wife. He is moving out but it does take a while to move his stuff from one location to another. As he drives to his new home 7 murders occur. Nothing unusual. He gets there, looks around, chooses the swarmling that looks the least occupied and asks for help moving stuff upstairs. They are instantly friendly with each other and talk about what is going on in their lifes. Jeff wants to drink in the evening and asks the swarmling to come along. They agree to it. Once downstairs another swarmling comes by and shoots this one. Jeff starts talking to the new swarmling and learns that he had a bad week and needed to get it out of his system. No other reason, he chose a victim randomly. Understandable. Jeff is reminded that life is short and should be lived to the fullest. He also just lost his drinking buddy so he asks the new swarmling to come along. He most likely needs it as he has been having a bad week. They drink and talk about their lifes then never meet again.