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Plot Update 10 March 2021

A year has passed since Fire Lord Zuko ascended the throne, and it seems like trouble is brewing between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom once more. The Fire Lord and the Avatar began the Harmony Restoration Movement to restore the Fire Nation Colonies to their pre-war state by bringing any Fire Nation nationals back home, but for many of the citizens — of mixed Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom … Read more ›

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World Technology / Culture

Anonymous
May 2, 2017 20:16:00 GMT -6

Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 20:16:00 GMT -6

A general question about the culture/technology on the site.

One of the concerns I had with Korra, especially seasons 3-4 and the introduction of the large mecha, is that it advanced the technology but didn't deal with the cultural impacts too much. The closest it came to doing so is maybe when it brings up how metal bending can be negated through the use of 'pure' metals.

My question is, how much flexibility do we have in exploring the cultural impacts due to the advances in technology? Are we just going by a rule of thumb? 

For example in the original series wealth is concentrated among the government and state elite, with a few merchants. Even most of the merchants, such as Toph's family, seem to have been born into wealth. It isn't until Korra that we see a self made rich class. I could see that sparking unrest between those who look at the self made rich and think they must have earned their reaches through dishonest means.

I could also see modernity decreasing attachment to clans in favor of the nuclear family. Tenzin* has the job of basically repopulating the air nation, so I understand why he has a large family. With exceptions like that though the world should see a significant decrease in the number of children each family has. 

Even changes in bending didn't really get addressed. I remember my reaction when I found out lightning bending had become such a common technique that it was used to generate electricity. That must have decreased the aura of mystery around the Fire Nation royalty right? 

*I know he isn't around.
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Last edit: May 2, 2017 20:59:40 GMT -6 | needed to fix the title spacing to make it look nice on the front page.

Post by A Long Display Name Here on May 2, 2017 20:48:40 GMT -6

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Well, I'm not entirely sure I would agree about the decrease in family sizes. Because Korra's environment is based on 1920s US / Shanghai, we take into account a lot of historical milestones in terms of technology from not just that era, but from those locations. Obviously, there will be a few adjustments based on S1 canon (since we're disregarding anything beyond), but for the most part your rule of thumb should be the 1920s. As far as bending progress specifically with regards to "pure" metals being able to stop earthbending — I've always, to be honest, found that a rather hamfisted deus ex machina way to limit the power of seismic sense. I know it was introduced in S1 but I'd have to check with if she wants to keep that.

Family sizes at this time were still probably fairly large for the average family, especially for the poor. In the URN's socioeconomic brackets, in particular for Republic City, poor nonbenders would likely have a lot of kids for two reasons: 1) birth control / family planning in the 1920s wasn't accessible too readily for those without financial means (not to mention there might be stigma against it, depending on someone's beliefs), and 2) while more children = more mouths to feed, that also means more income since the work can be split amongst the parents as well as any children old enough (and in the 1920s, that's a pretty young age depending on the type of work). Nobility would likely think more along terms of a nuclear family, but very 'heir and a spare' and any children after that are by choice or accident.

I do wholeheartedly agree that the blue bloods would absolutely have prejudices against self-made wealth. I don't think all would think they were dishonest, but the aristocracy by and large would likely think that self-made people aren't as refined, and are still... how to say... the same commoner underneath all the glitz and glam of money.

I would agree, somewhat, that the advances in bending (and the more wide-spread teachings of each unique "special" ability) would take some of the mystique away, but I also feel there would be drawbacks to that. Mass produced doesn't necessarily ensure quality. While a bender may have the ability to generate electricity for their job at the powerplant, or bend metal for their job at the RCPD, doesn't necessarily mean that they would be masters of that technique on a daily basis never mind in a fight. I find it hard to imagine that canon exceptions aside (*stares at Mako*), the average 16 year old would have such a command of lightning so as to give master benders a run for their money.
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Last edit: May 8, 2017 6:35:00 GMT -6