Culture of Consigahria

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The culture of Consigahria is very unique to the nation. Ascetic, religious, and spiritualistic nudity are a common sight; and democratic consumerism and financial success through public education are the predominant modus vivendi.

Most Native Consigahrians have a milk- or dark-chocolate color to their complexions; are Jewish by conversion, are Jewish by marriage of a parent to a Jew, or are Jewish at birth; and are generally shorter than six feet. The darker the complexion, generally, the wider the hips and kinkier the hair. Most are "skinny", fit, or muscular. They have three types of hair, and because of its thickness it tends to be kinky: black and straight, black and curly, or blonde and curly. Most Native Consigahrians are proud (and sometimes arrogant) people because of their belief to have royal bloodlines from ancient Egypt. Native Consigahrians as a race are attributed to modern nudism, and are generally seen by the rest of the world as egotistical, snide, bossy, manipulative, blunt, and overtly sexual. Of course, this is part of the nation's charm.

Classism (defined as prejudice against or in favor of people belonging to a particular social class) exists between the lower and upper classes, and between the uppermost classes (nobility or noble families) and the other classes categorically. It stems, mostly, from the nation's slave trade.

Although public nudity is legally allowed, sexuality exhibited in public is generally frowned upon in Consigahria, both by the government and the citizens. Alongside detailed anatomy lessons from a very young age, children are also taught that the most sexual touching a man is allowed in public by his spouse is a passionate kiss, but not a series of passionate kisses or anything more arousing than that. This is primarily because public nudity restricts the ability to hide sexual arousal. In public, men with short foreskins and men without may or may not wear a kynodesme, a device used to restrict the foreskin, or residual foreskin in the case the individual was circumcised, which keeps the foreskin tied as a cover for the glans penis and aiding in both comfort while running or exercising, and restoring functionality to the entire organ. Medical circumcisions, legally defined as circumcisions which occur solely when medically necessary, do occur, but when they occur, surgeons try to cut the foreskin very loosely, so that wearing a kynodesme and restoring the foreskin naturally remains possible. Alongside anatomy and physiology, children are also taught and practiced in some form of hand-to-hand combat. Those who engage in black market activity are found by their teachers to be more violent than average, especially those gifted with a psychic ability; and while discriminatory at best, the government recognizes an intrinsic credibility in it, and creates suitable laws.

Choirboys singing about the joys of devout, abstinent heterosexuality on city trams and subways are a common sight in Vermillion City, and their perfect harmony is usually followed by applause and praise from their audiences. Similarly, other mixed groups, such as those of mixed sexualities and religions, are known to rehearse and perform in public, sometimes for tips or donations. Their age group is, roughly, 14 to 18 years of age.

For all the race's virtues, Consigahrian citizens are notoriously territorial, and while the nation has a very bright, laidback, and optimistic outlook and a foreign policy to match, it has been known for reacting in extreme military violence when threatened. Its citizens are taught similarly. Territoriality, even among the people, is incredibly common in rural settings, although selfish frugality is generally frowned upon; and while still prominent in large cities such as Dockmackie and metropolitan conglomerates such as Vermillion, territoriality is not so common due to the higher population density.

Criminals (87% of arrested in 2134), and less frequently homeless people (9%) and wayward youth (4%), are regularly arrested for public intoxication charges such as DUIA (driving under the influence of alcohol), DUII (driving under the influence of an intoxicant), criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of stolen vehicles, and criminal possession of controlled substances such as meth, crack, and speed. Those found with melee weapons are disarmed; and those with firearms generally give up their weapons at the beginning of police investigations, or find themselves Tasered and disarmed, or if they're combatant shot and killed.

The longest police investigation to date began with a policeman's routine traffic stop inspired by a white sedan's expired license plate tags. The confrontation ended in the policeman's death, and the suspect escaped and remained at large for 10 years. After a decade and some months of merciless murder of countless policemen and countless hostage situations, the suspect was shot and killed by a psychic sniper, an astronomically uncommon and perfect shot, as he was escaping. The shot was ordered not to have been fired, but the sniper fired anyway because he believed he had a perfect shot. The bullet penetrated the suspect's left eye and removed much of his skull, severely injuring the hostage he was trying to escape with. The hostage died weeks later from complications as a result of severe burns and a laceration; because of the lack of healthcare funding in that era, the wounds became severely infected.

Today, healthcare is paid for by the taxpayers, instated and maintained by the Federal Healthcare Tax (5.2% of workers' paychecks), and several decades-old charities established throughout the region, which ensures free healthcare and dentistry for all, while not taking away from doctors' paychecks. Individuals with doctorates pay 2.54% instead of 5.2%. Healthcare in the nation is, by world standards, considered excellent.

It is mandatory for all youth to attend school from age five to age 18. In 2135, there were 4.748 million students and youth in Consigahria. About 1.99 million students (42%) were enrolled in public school, about 1.756 million students (37%) were enrolled in a secular private school, about 52,000 students (11%) were enrolled in a religious private school, and about 42,700 students (9%) were home-schooled. About 9,500 youth (2%) were pardoned from mandatory education due to military, prison, or severe illness or disability. In the survey conducted, 300 youth were inexplicably unaccounted for.

Throughout Consigahria, the age of consent seems to fluctuate according to a city's population density. Being that the age of consent is, at the federal level, 12 years of age, the fastest growing demographic of porn viewership is 12 to 17 years of age. However, at the state level, the age of consent is 17, or in some places 18 years of age. Viewing pornography mostly occurs in metropolitan areas, with the viewers using the Internet to do so, and the federal government prohibits police and intelligence agencies from hacking into anybody's computer in any form if without a search warrant. Legally and officially, it's a federal offense to view or create pornographic material, with the worse sentencing topping at 80 years of imprisonment and a R$500,000 fine. However, morally, a child viewing pornographic material isn't considered as bad as meddling in affairs related to said child's sexuality. Therefore, children and teenagers don't generally wind up with legal repercussions for it; and even though it's an official federal offense, it carries the same punition as jaywalking. In rural areas (and some ghettos of large cities), children as young as 8 years old can be seen in casinos and bars, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. It's a federal offense to purchase any intoxicant, including pills, patches, tobacco products, other drugs, drug paraphernalia, or alcoholic products, with the intent to distribute to a minor. The only exception to the law is, parents are legally allowed to give written or verbal consent to allow their minor children to enter and gamble in casinos, to enter bars and purchase and consume alcoholic products, and purchasing tobacco and alcohol from retail and convenience stores.

Even though children are essentially legally allowed to purchase and consume alcohol and drugs at the state level, if the child loses the note that gave him legal permission and his parents are nowhere in sight, the child is arrested for trespassing, which is distinguishable from criminal trespassing. Trespassing is a state-level offense punishable with 24 hours of imprisonment in juvenile detention; but criminal trespassing is a federal offense punishable with up to five years in juvenile detention without parole. (Detained children who pass the federal age of consent are transferred to federal prison.) If the child is intoxicated to any visible or olfactory degree, the child's parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must be contacted for evidence that the child is there without permission. If the child is indeed there without permission, the child is arrested for criminal trespassing. Public intoxication isn't specifically illegal; however, public inebriation is defined as visible or olfactory drunkenness or influence of illicit drugs, such as cocaine, but not cannabis. It's a federal offense to sell alcohol or other intoxicants to a person fitting that description, especially if to a legal minor.

In Tanahog, Vermillion Territory, and Vermillion City, Capitol Territory, the age of consent is 18 years of age. Minors found in possession or under influence of intoxicants on public property (with the exception of cannabis in any capacity, and prescribed pills as long as the label is intact) may be jailed for up to two weeks. Minors found in possession or under influence of Schedule B Drugs are jailed for up to five years in federal juvenile detention. Sale of Schedule B Drugs is federally prohibited, especially to or from a minor, a federal offense punishable for up to 10 years. This law is upheld up to ten miles from the cities' official borders. Areas that employ this law scheme are classed as blue areas by the federal government's intelligence agencies. Like areas include the entirety of Soho Territory; Dockmackie, Pincock Terr.; Konomahamaru, Koyoumaru Terr.; and many major cities in Voya Territory, including Enryuu and its suburbs up to 150 miles from the city center. Enryuu, Voya Terr., is the only city known to have such strict laws in this aspect.

In smaller cities, such as Kaito, Koyoumaru Terr., the age of consent is 16; and while the same federal laws are upheld, they're enforced in a gentler degree, mostly because of the sparseness of people and lack of necessity.

For gender roles etc., see the section on gender, family and social roles.

People in large cities like Tanahog and Vermillion are perceived as "pushier" than people in rural towns such as Kaito. The lower class tends to live either in apartments or single-story houses in very rural towns, or are clumped together in community buildings and skyscrapers in large cities' ghettos. The middle class, or working class, tends to live in skyscrapers such as these, and those in this class who are more charitable generally are happier because they have more privileges, such as excess electricity or water to waste. The high class (the self-proclaimed "top 2%" of society) live in large cities and are responsible for the normal high 65-80% average income tax rate, as they consume much of the country's goods for their own profit. The federal government is currently looking at stamping this out. According to various economists, the projected average income tax rate would gravitate around 30-42% if the wealthy would give more, and in the long term, everybody would benefit.

Outside the mountain ranges, Consigahrian life is based around water systems, primarily the ocean. Roughly 36-48% of the entire population lives within 100 miles of the coastlines.

The people are fiercely patriotic, but don't seem to favor the government when it militarizes.

A monetary culture

As of late 2135, the 4.09% unemployment rate translates to over 807 million people either living in single-bedroom apartments within slums of Vermillion City and Tanahog, the nation's largest cities, paying mere ruices a day in rent if they are able, or staying with friends and families, in one place for no more than six months or in some cases six days. Those who cannot live within makeshift shacks. The residents are responsible for maintenance of lawns, litter, and pet control. Within these slums, nudity is rife because the poorest families only have a few outfits they'd prefer to keep in good condition since they can't just buy more. Over 90% of the clothes worn in these communities are donated. Its streets and alleys incredibly overpopulated, its people inadequately employed if employed at all, and its workforce overtaxed, families within these slums struggle to survive in everyday life. Before martial law was enacted in March, 2136, crime was rife. Today, people usually stay in their homes packed like sardines, because to be outside is to risk being shot by police due to the sheer density and rife poverty of the homeless population. The absolute poorest, most destitute families usually have only one child if any and make less than 9,000 ruices a year.

However, the lower class's poorest families make just under R$32,000 per year, which affords them food, housing, clothing, medicine, transportation, and luxuries such as radio, television, DVD/BluRay, and wireless Internet. Middle-class families make just under R$100,000 a year. And finally, upper-class families make just under R$220,000 a year.

As a result of an inflated education budget, less than 1% of all children are precluded from the public education system. At school, normally, everyone dresses more or less the same, acts similarly, though uniquely per child, and eat the same amount and quality of food. However, homeless and lower-class children seem to be the victims of bullying and assault. As per a federal law, all public schools have zero tolerance policies for bullying, so it seems to happen only when adults aren't present. The homeless are considered a disease by most irreligious students whose parents don't corporeally punish them. Students with this opinion are normally removed from the classroom, either temporarily or permanently. Violent students are dealt with. Historically violent students are expelled.

Expulsion from school can eventually lead to prison sentences for both the student and his parent(s)/guardian(s) through truancy and other crimes, such as theft, assault, harassment, even arson.

Education

Education in Consigahria is one of the government's top priorities. Consigahrian schools are generally in excellent or fair condition, as they are maintained and renovated regularly.

In the year 2199, a law was passed to allow citizens in large cities such as Vermillion City and Tanahog to go to college in order to attend agriculture classes. About a year later, the nation's produce were firmer and larger than average.

Under construction.

Religion

The de facto national religion of Consigahria is Karaite Judaism; and the de jure national religion is all denominations of Judaism.

Most of Consigahria's populace is Jewish, as is much of its governmental staff; and as a consequence, the religion largely affects the native custom. Judaism (יַהֲדוּת, Yahadut) is a monotheistic religion, with the Torah (תורה, torah, laws) as its foundational text (part of the larger text known as the Tanakh (תנ"ך, bible) or Hebrew Bible), and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the Mishneh Torah (משנה תורה, changed laws) and the Talmud (תלמוד). Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of the covenantal relationship God established with the Children of Israel. Judaism includes a wide corpus of texts, practices, theological positions, and forms of organization. Within Judaism there are a variety of movements, most of which emerged from Rabbinic Judaism, which holds that God revealed his laws and commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of both the Written and Oral Torah. Judaism claims a historical continuity spanning more than 3,000 years. Judaism has its roots as a structured religion in the Middle East during the Bronze Age.

According to traditional Jewish Law, a Jew is anyone born of a Jewish mother or converted to Judaism in accordance with Jewish Law. American Reform Judaism and British Liberal Judaism accept the child of one Jewish parent (father or mother) as Jewish if the parents raise the child with a Jewish identity. All mainstream forms of Judaism today are open to sincere converts, although conversion has traditionally been discouraged since the time of the Talmud. The conversion process is evaluated by an authority, and the convert is examined on his or her sincerity and knowledge. Traditional Judaism maintains that a Jew, whether by birth or conversion, is a Jew forever.

Jewish observances

Most Consigahrian people are Jewish. Males born before 2110 are generally circumcised, and males born after that date aren't, as circumcision was outlawed in that year except in medical necessity. More than 60% of families attend a religious ceremony or gathering once a week. Males have their heads covered in public, either by a hat, beanie, or yarmulke; and those who do not are considered either rebellious or vagrant, usually one or the other. Teachings of chesed, charity, and self-betterment are passed down through the generations. Jewish holidays such as Hanukkah are celebrated as national holidays.

Religious texts

The Jews use the Pirchei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) and the Mishneh Torah for moral guidance, the Haggadah for ceremonial guidance, the Talmud for reference to civil and ceremonial law, and the Tanakh for authoritative scripture.

The Pirchei Avot (פרקי אבות, Chapters of the Fathers) is a compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims of the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period, which Jews use as a template for their own behavior; and the Mishneh Torah (מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה‎, Repetition of the Torah), subtitled Sefer Yad Hahazaka (ספר יד החזקה, Book of the Strong Hand), is a code of Jewish religious law which the Pirchei Avot is based on.

Haggadah is the text recited at the Seder (feast) on the first two nights of the Jewish Passover, including a narrative of the Exodus.

The Talmud is the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend comprising the Mishnah, the book's substance text, and the Gemara, commentary on the substance.

Tanakh, a list of books considered to be authoritative scripture of the original Hebrew Bible, is an acronym of the first Hebrew letter of each of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: Torah ("Teaching"), also known as the Five Books of Moses, Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings") — hence TaNaKh.

Modern versions of the Tanakh are the three subdivisions in one book, instead of three separate books considered the Tanakh as a collective, and so the term Tanakh is a singular noun in lexicon.

Jewish ethics

Jewish ethical practice is typically understood to be marked by values such as justice, truth, peace, loving-kindness, compassion, humility, and self-respect. Specific Jewish ethical practices include practices of charity (צדקה, tzedakah) and refraining from negative speech. Proper ethical practices regarding sexuality and many other issues are subjects of dispute among Jews. Rabbi Simeon ben Gamaliel taught: "The world rests on three things: justice, truth, and peace" (Avot 1:18). Justice (משפט, mishpat), being God's must be vindicated, whether the object be of great or small value (Sanhedrin 8a). "Let justice pierce the mountain" is the characteristic maxim attributed to Moses (Sanhedrin 6b). Stealing and oppression, even if only in holding back overnight the hired man's earnings, are forbidden. Falsehood, flattery, perjury and false swearing are also forbidden. The reputation of a fellow man is sacred (Exodus 21:1). Tale-bearing and unkind insinuations are proscribed, as is hatred of one's brother in one's heart (Leviticus 19:17). A revengeful, relentless disposition is unethical; reverence for old age is inculcated; justice shall be done; right weight and just measure are demanded; poverty and riches shall not be regarded by the judge (Leviticus 19:15, 18, 32, 36; Exodus 23:3). Transversely, peace (שַׁלוָה, shalom) is one of the underlying principles of the Torah, as "her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are shalom" (Proverbs 3:17). The Talmud explains "the entire Torah is for the sake of the ways of shalom".

Simon the Just taught: "The world rests upon three things: Torah, service to God, and showing chesed" (Avot 1:2). Loving-kindness (חֶסֶד, chesed) is the core ethical virtue, closely linked with compassion in the tradition. Lack of compassion marks a people as cruel (אַכְזָר, achzar). The repeated injunctions of the Law and the Prophets that the widow, the orphan and the stranger should be protected show how deeply, it is argued, the feeling of compassion was rooted in the hearts of the righteous in ancient Israel.

Friendship (חֲבֵרוּת, chaverut) is also highly prized in the Talmud; the very word for "associate" is "friend" (כחבר, chaver). "Get thyself a companion" (Avot i. 6). "Companionship or death" (Ta'anit 23a).

Respect for one's fellow creatures is of such importance that Biblical prohibitions may be transgressed on its account (Ber. 19b). Especially do unclaimed dead require respectful burial.

In addition to teaching caring for others, Jewish sources tend to teach that man is duty bound to preserve his life (Berachot 32b) and his health. Foods dangerous to health are more to be guarded against than those ritually forbidden. Jewish ethics denies self-abasement. "He who subjects himself to needless self-castigations and fasting, or even denies himself the enjoyment of wine, is a sinner" (Taanit 11a, 22b). A person has to give account for every lawful enjoyment he refuses (Talmud Yerushalyim Ḳiddesh iv, 66d). A person should show self-respect in regard to both his body, "honoring it as the image of God" (Hillel: Midrash Leviticus Rabbah 34), and his garments (Talmud Shabbat 113b; Nedarim 81a). According to Judaism, real life goes beyond the concept of breathing and having blood flow through our veins, it means existing with a purpose and connecting to God and others.

Prayer

Traditionally, Jews recite prayers three times daily, Shacharit, Mincha, and Ma'ariv, with a fourth prayer, Mussaf, which is added on Shabbat (Judaism's day of rest and seventh day of the week, typically Sunday) and holidays. Prayers can be done with other people (recommended), or alone; but at the heart of each prayer is the Amidah or Shemoneh Esrei, in which friends and family stand together and pray together. Most of the prayers in a traditional Jewish service can be recited in solitary prayer, although communal prayer is preferred. Communal prayer requires a quorum of ten adult Jews, called a minyan. In nearly all Orthodox and a few Conservative circles, only male Jews are counted toward a minyan; most Conservative Jews and members of other Jewish denominations count female Jews as well.

Another key prayer in many services is the declaration of faith, the Shema Yisrael (or Shema). The Shema is the recitation of a verse from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4): Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad—"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God! The Lord is One!"

In addition to prayer services, observant traditional Jews recite prayers and benedictions throughout the day when performing various acts. Prayers are recited upon waking up in the morning, before eating or drinking different foods, after eating a meal, and so on.

The approach to prayer varies among the Jewish denominations. Differences can include the texts of prayers, the frequency of prayer, the number of prayers recited at various religious events, the use of musical instruments and choral music, and whether prayers are recited in the traditional liturgical languages or the vernacular. In general, Orthodox and Conservative congregations adhere most closely to tradition, and Reform and Reconstructionist synagogues are more likely to incorporate translations and contemporary writings in their services. Also, in most Conservative synagogues, and all Reform and Reconstructionist congregations, women participate in prayer services on an equal basis with men, including roles traditionally filled only by men, such as reading from the Torah. In addition, many Reform temples use musical accompaniment such as organs and mixed choirs.

Siddurim

A siddur (סדור, order) (plural: סדורים, siddurim) is a prayer book containing an ordered list of daily prayers. Readings from the Torah and the Nevi'im form part of the prayer services. To this framework various Jewish sages added, from time to time, various prayers, and, for festivals especially, numerous hymns.

The earliest existing codification of the prayerbook was drawn up by Rev Amram Gaon of Sura (Babylon) in circa 850 CE. Half a century later, Rav Saadia Gaon (also of Sura) composed a siddur in which the rubric is in Arabic. These were the basis of Simcha ben Samuel's Machzor Vitry (11th century France), which was based on the ideas of his teacher. Another formulation of the prayers was that appended by Maimonides, who wrote the Pirchei Avot, to the laws of prayer in his Mishneh Torah. This forms the basis of the Yemenite liturgy and has had some influence on other rites. From this point forward, all Jewish prayer books had the same basic order and contents, but each would be compulsorily individualized.

Two authoritative versions of the Ashkenazi siddur were those of Shabbetai Sofer in the 16th century and Seligman Baer in the 19th century, neither of which are now considered relevant. Siddurim have also been published reflecting the views of Jacob Emden and the Vilna Gaon, renowned ancient specialists in studies of the Talmud, or shisha siddurim (the "six orders" found in the Mishneh Torah).

Religious clothing

A classical kippah, one variation of many.

A kippah (כִּפָּה, plural כפפת kippot; Yiddish: יאַרמלקע yarmulke) is a slightly rounded brimless skullcap worn by many Jews while praying, eating, reciting blessings, or studying Jewish religious texts, and at all times by some Jewish men. In Orthodox communities, only men wear kippot; in non-Orthodox communities, some women also wear kippot. Kippot range in size from a small round beanie that covers only the back of the head, to a large, snug cap that covers the whole crown.

An example of tzitzit

Tzitzit (Hebrew צִיציִת) (Ashkenazi pronunciation: tzitzis) are special knotted "fringes" or "tassels" found on the four corners of the tallit (Hebrew: טַלִּית) (Ashkenazi pronunciation: tallis), or prayer shawl. The tallit is worn by Jewish men and some Jewish women during the prayer service. Customs vary regarding when a Jew begins wearing a tallit. In the Sephardi community, boys wear a tallit from bar mitzvah age. In some Ashkenazi communities it is customary to wear one only after marriage. A tallit katan (small tallit) is a fringed garment worn under the clothing throughout the day. In some Orthodox circles, the fringes are allowed to hang freely outside the clothing.

Tefillin (תְפִלִּין), known in other languages as phylacteries (etymologically from a Greek word meaning safeguard or amulet), are two square leather boxes containing biblical verses, attached to the forehead and wound around the left arm by leather straps. They are worn during weekday morning prayer by observant Jewish men and some Jewish women.

A kittel (Yiddish קיטל), a white knee-length overgarment, is worn by prayer leaders and some observant traditional Jews on the High Holidays. It is traditional for the head of the household to wear a kittel at the Passover seder in some communities, and some grooms wear one under the wedding canopy. Jewish males are buried in a tallit and sometimes also a kittel, which are part of the tachrichim (burial garments).

Burial (קְבוּרָה, kevurah) is, historically, to be placed in a sepulcher of some kind, usually in the ground or in a "cave of rocks"; but today, cremation is compulsory for all deceased mammals, and usually the remains are scattered into the ocean (in rivieras and other tropical areas) or a river (in hilly and mountainous areas).

Gender, family, and social roles

A family is allowed as many children and as many spouses as the patriarch and/or matriarch deems necessary or prudent. Rules governing how the family interacts with each other is defined by the individual patriarch and/or matriarch. However, to marry more than one person is illegal at the federal level.

In a typical Consigahrian patriarchal household, the patriarch dominates the house, and his wife shares in his wealth and in his authority. The patriarch (father) works daily nine- to twelve-hour shifts, or three daily three-hour shifts in different professions; the matriarch (mother) stays home to tend to the house and children who are aren't yet in school; the children who are in elementary school learn rudimentary mathematical and linguistic skills; the children who are in middle school learn advanced mathematical and linguistic skills; and the children in high school specialize their education how they see fit. In a typical matriarchal household, the same is true, but the father and mother roles are reversed.

At home, no matter what the family's financial standing, the parents generally have a disciplinarian style of teaching. Children who steal learn quickly that thieves may lose fingers. In Consigahria, children who misbehave are spanked, and so children are generally more pleasant and less susceptible to be defeated in a fistfight than children in less-disciplined countries. The parents generally raise their children according to the nationalized religious and largely nudist lifestyle. Poorer families, officially classed "middle class" (32.39%) and "lower class" (39.6%) (72% of the population), are generally conservative, while richer families, officially classed "upper class" (28% of the population), are considered spendthrift. Clothes are employed as either a punishment mechanism or as a means of warmth outside of the home; the most severe punishment legal to use on any person is to confine them in warm clothing within a room at no more than 112 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than two consecutive months, or three days without food and water. However, the insubordinate are normally punished more bearably, for example by means of confinement to one's bedroom, confiscation of toys or other electronic or entertainment devices, and corporeal punishment (spanking on the butt, hands, and/or thighs by hand, belt, or paddle). The utilization of melee weapons in corporeal punishment (defined as the use of anything other than the parents' own hand, belt, or paddle, and in any other location on the minor's body other than the butt, hands, or thighs) is an unlawful felony.

According to a 2126 survey, classed as a "study" by the government, of 10 billion individuals surveyed, gang activity was found prohibited in 63% of Consigahrian households but shockingly remained prevalent as a staggering 45% of minors aged 14-18 and a 36% of adults aged 21-40 had a gang affiliation. Most refused to speak at length about their activity as a gangbanger. 23% of gangs, found to be mostly comprised of lower-class middle school students, engaged in firearm warfare simply over the color of the set's uniform, firing upon fellow sets and burning bridges in their wakes. 70% of self-proclaimed "gangbangers" and 56% of self-proclaimed "gang members" (86% of the surveyed) claimed their gang affiliation was hereditary. The government concluded that all gangs operate under certain belief systems and are willing to defend those beliefs with a gun; that all gangs are subdivided into sets, which have their own unique individual traits; and that many gangs were family-oriented, meaning 81% of Consigahrian families either have or had gang affiliations; however, crimes happen much, much less often than they do in most parts of the world.

At school, teachers are allowed to utilize corporeal punishment, but are not allowed to use their own hands or belts. They absolutely must use a paddle. Normally, teachers don't corporeally punish students because time doesn't allow. In this case, the student is sent to a principal who specializes in assessment of breach of school rules and federal laws and punishment. Some parents who don't want their children spanked by anybody other than themselves enroll their children in private schools. Homeschooling is conceptualized but doesn't ever happen in Consigahria. At school, students are generally happy, acquiescent, yielding, and kind to one another. Eye contact is paramount. Avoidance of eye contact is normally interpreted hostilely, and hostility is met with equivalent (reciprocal) hostility. Public displays of violence are generally frowned upon and discouraged. If students must get violent, they are encouraged to either take their affair away from school grounds, or seek counsel from a trusted staff member or from parents without getting violent.

Because of the paramount gang activity in most low-class schools, uniforms have been enacted, and graffiti lines many hallways, some tagged with gang symbols to claim both the inking and the school. There have been recorded events involving minors, gang activity, and shootouts between neighborhoods; and there have been recorded events involving minors, gang activity, and brandished blunt weaponry within public schools. In 2131, the federal misdemeanor crime of assault became a felony on any public school's property by law, and in 2133, the addenda concerning violence on public school property were repealed.

Family dynamics

Most families are Jewish by blood. 41% of Jewish families are Reform Jewish, 29% are Conservative, 18% are Unorthodox, and 12% are Orthodox. And so, the common family names of ancient times, kinui chibah (כִּנוּי חִיבָּה, pet names) are still used today.

Language used among family and close friends

Jews use colloquial language among family and close friends that would be considered either rude or awkwardly inappropriate among strangers. Below is a list of a few Yiddish phrases.

  • A bi gezunt (עה בי גזונט) - "As long as you're healthy", or "At least you've got your health". Used to negate something terrible that's happened. For example, your cousin's house burns down. A bi gezunt.
  • Balabusta (באלאבוּסטא) - a good homemaker; a friendly host.
  • Barimer (באַרימער) - a braggart; a showoff.
  • Bissel, or bissela - a little bit.
  • Boychick - a term of endearment used for young boys.
  • Broche (ברוכה) - prayer.
  • Beitzim (בעיטזם) - testicles.
  • Bubba, or Bubbe (בובבה) - a term of endearment used for grandmothers.
  • Bubbala, or Bubbele (בובבהלא) - a term of endearment; "darling".
  • Bupkes (בופקס) - something absurd or worthless.
  • Tsaya (צאיה) - animal, used to refer to unruly children.
  • Chazerei (חזרי) - food that is awful.
  • Chutzpah (חוצפה) - nerve, audacity, gall.
  • Dreck, or drek (דרעק) - shit; crap; nonsense.
  • Dreck off a teller, or drek aoyf a teller (דרעק אויף אַ טעלער) - shit on a plate; mean-spirited and completely worthless person.
  • Er zitst oyf shpilkes (ער זיצט אויף שפּילקעס) - he sits on pins and needles; he's restless.
  • Er macht a tel fun dem - he ruins it.
  • Er zol vaksen vi a tsibeleh (ער זאָל וואַקסן ווי אַ ציבעלע) - he should grow like an onion (...with his head in the ground).
  • Farfalen, or far-fallen (פאַרפאַלען) - (as if doing the same thing day in day out for years, having expected an opportunity for change, and ultimately being disappointed,) hopeless; fallen in; collapsed; lost.
  • Farmach dos moyl, or Farmakh dos moyl (פאַרמאַכ דאָס מויל) - shut your mouth.
  • Fercockt (פרקקת) - all fucked up.
  • Fershlugeneh (פרשלגנה) - beaten up, messed up, no good.
  • Farshnickert (פאַרשניקקערט), or farshnoshket (פאַרשנאָשקעט) - drunk as a skunk; high as a kite.
  • Fershtayin (פאַרשטיין), or fershtays (פערשטייַס) - Understand?
  • Farshtinkener (פאַרשטינקענער) - rotten (as in a person).
  • Fetzel (פצל) - to flatulate.
  • Fress (פרס) - eat quickly and noisily.
  • Foiler (פאָילער) - a lazy person.
  • Gevalt (גולת) - woe.
  • Goy (גוי) - gentile (a derogatory term meaning gentile); goyim (גויים) is the plural, and goyisher (גוישר) is the adjective.
  • Kibitz (קבץ) - unwanted help during a game.
  • Klutz (קלוץ) - an awkwardly uncoordinated person or animal.
  • Kosher (כשר) - "comestible" as defined by Jewish dietary law, or "legitimate."
  • Kvell (קול) - to beam with pride and pleasure.
  • Kvetch (מקטר) - to complain incessantly.
  • Luzzum, or luzz 'em (לוזזום) - leave them alone.
  • Macher (מכר) - sold, or ambitious.
  • Mazel tov (מזל טוב) - congratulations, good luck.
  • Magilla (מגלה) - long, revealing, boring, and complicated.
  • Mishin (מישנ) - nosy.
  • Mensch (מנשך) - a person of upstanding character.
  • Messhugeh (מסשוגה) - crazy.
  • Plotz (פלוץ) - to collapse.
  • Seikhel (סאיקהל) - good sense; good judgment.
  • Shlimazel (שלמזל), or shlemiel (שלומיאל) - a person with abhorrently bad luck, a chronic failure, or a born loser.
  • Shmegege (שמגג) - a petty person; "needle-dick" (an insult).
  • Schmooze (שמאוז) - to talk in a gossip-like fashion; to barter.
  • Schnoz (שהנוז) - nose.
  • Tsucheppennish (צוטכפפנש) - something irritating that attaches itself like an obsession. "She has tsucheppennish..."
  • Tuches (תוכס) - bum; butt; ass.
  • Verklempt (בר קלמפת) - choked up.
  • Zitsin (זיצן) - sit; sit down.
  • Zhlub, or schlub (זהלוב) - an insensitive, ill-mannered person.

Sexuality

Sexuality plays a very large part of Consigahrian society. From a very young age, children are taught about human anatomy and physiology, and from the middle-school ages, children are taught about sexuality and psychology, as the four subjects correlate respectively. Therefore, adolescents are much likelier to engage in sexual activity when they feel they're ready, and are much less likely to procreate, whether intentionally or accidentally. Psychopathologists, psychologists, and physicians unanimously agree that such behavior is healthy, so long as the parents teach the children that too much sex, no matter how exclusive, may be detrimental to their health.

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation used to be a very big issue in Consigahria. Being homosexual or transgender wasn't unheard of, but both were severely criticized and frowned upon. The Consigahrian government began to investigate and research sexual orientation, and when it was discovered to be related to genetics in 1987, the research skyrocketed. Several surveys were developed and conducted through 1987-2020, and in each survey, 200,000 random people on the street would be surveyed. In 1989, one in 300 people surveyed admitted to not being completely heterosexual. It was unheard of to crossdress, let alone believe one belonged to the other gender. In 2000, one in fifty people surveyed admitted to not being completely heterosexual, and although crossdressing was still frowned upon, five in fifty admitted to doing it at least once. In 2020, three in every eight people admitted to not being heterosexual; seven of twelve admitted to crossdressing at least once; one of three made it clear they were homosexual; another one of the same three made it clear they were bisexual; and the last one of the same three wasn't sure what term applied to them.

Today, homosexuality is morally and legally acceptable in all forms, including bisexuality, transsexualism, intersexualism (female-to-male transsexualism without surgery on the genitals), and cis-sexuality (legally defined as "99% heterosexuality," or the practice of conditional heterosexuality, where a heterosexual individual would temporarily engage in homosexual activity, as opposed to bisexuality and homosexuality).

The government doesn't dabble with legal matters as it pertains to private sexuality. Pederasty (legally defined as sexual intercourse between an adult male with a minor male), however, is still specifically illegal at the federal level, and holds the same penalty as statutory rape (legally defined as sexual intercourse between an adult male with a minor female, legally called 'sexual abuse' at the federal level). In Capital and Koyoumaru Territories, however, the laws of pederasty and statutory rape are slightly different: it's only illegal if the family of the minor disagrees with the relationship, as minors cannot legally give their own consent. However, it's still very much frowned upon. The sentence for committing statutory rape or pederasty is 20 years in federal prison, and if the minor didn't comply during the offense, without chance for parole. In the rest of the nation, however, pederasty is generalized into a fashion suitable for both sexes, as pederasty focuses on the intimate sexual relationship between a man and a boy--nationwide, statutory rape is called Sexual Abuse, and a first degree charge can result in a life sentence in federal prison.

Circumcision

Circumcision, legally labeled as genital mutilation, was outlawed in 2010, except in the case of medical necessity. However, it is not illegal to be circumcised, nor for an adult to travel to a foreign country where genital mutilation is legally acceptable, have himself circumcised, and return to Consigahria. Some families still perform the ancient bris ceremonies (on the eighth day of life, a human male would be circumcised to "establish a covenant with God," a practice which was abandoned when it was proven that circumcision began only after the Romans began to evangelize and pursue world conquest.

In 2130, a survey was conducted, and 0.16% of males were found to have been circumcised. Most of them either were in the process of restoring their prepuces in some way, and nine in every ten others who were not had already restored theirs. The one person remaining in every ten didn't know doing so was possible. 26% of males who had restored had done so either surgically or by means of stem cell duplication, and 74% had somehow induced cell growth.

In 2135, the federal government reaffirmed its previous ruling that circumcision is immoral and illegal. The practice of circumcision, federally outlawed over a century earlier, is considered a felony.

Protests

In 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2009-10 respectively, there were a series of protests against medical circumcision. In 2001, a well-renowned doctor, one of the nation's wealthiest, was sued for botching the circumcision of a man's son. When he lost the suit and was found guilty, the doctor's name was redacted from public documents, the presiding justice revoked his medical licenses, and he was arrested for unlawful use of a weapon. In 2003, a group of teenagers were arrested for riotous behavior after publicly protesting against circumcision in general, and one of the teenagers' father decided to peacefully continue the protest. In 2004 and 2006, the group repeated the protest, these times supervised by police.

A teenaged girl's father protests against circumcision after his daughter and her friends were arrested for indecent exposure while protesting in his absence.

A mass protest occurred on November 1st, 2009, and 30 innocent protesters, most of them female youth, were maced by police officers and detained. The rest of the group, around 130 people, began to rebel against them. All 130 were arrested; and an a riot broke out. Civilians began to assault police officers, and when the police became outnumbered, CIA and FBI completely closed off roads and sidewalks leading into and out of Coaxie and Dixie, towns in central Vermillion City. Tabloids and newspapers called it a "civil war" because of the violence; in three months, 160 civilians and 12 police officers died, and 8,400 civilians and six police officers were wounded. In February, 2010, a record 8,510 people were arrested.

Since 2010, there have been hundreds of thousands of protests, the majority of them peaceful. Protesting has become a way of life, alongside voting.

Recreational drug use

Schedule A Drugs are not illegal at the federal or territorial level, such as adrenocorticoids, fusion inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, benzodiazepines, lithium, disulfiram, epinephrine, antihistamines, Vitamin B-12, haloperidol, aspirin, capsaicin, adrenocorticoids, topical antifungals, divalproex, risperidone, ticlopidine, acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, osmotic laxative, insulin, miglitol, niacin, orphenadrine, dronabinol, tetrahydrocannabinol, hydroxyzyne, guanadrel, and hydrochlorothiazides. An adult may possess and distribute any of these drugs as he wishes, but he won't likely have a large profit since the national healthcare associations ("NHAs") distribute these drugs without charge. These associations also screen for Schedule B Drugs, and if any are present in an individual's system, the association helps them to quit the drug and assume a safer Schedule A Drug alternative. Most NHAs employ legally binding paperwork which individual adults must fill out and submit, including a contract which prohibits the individual and any member of their immediate family from, for example, going to another NHA or lying to the NHAs, etc.

Schedule B Drugs are illegal at the federal and territorial levels, such as deathly controlled substances like methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy.

Police are instructed not to pay attention to marijuana, unless it's going across an international border. It is not a controlled substance at the federal level; however, in Voya and Koyoumaru Territories, it is classified as a schedule C drug, among other drugs which produce a psychedelic effect but don't harm the body, which in these territories are illegal to be sold by, sold to, handled by, or consumed by minors. It's a federal crime to transport schedule C drugs into and out of these territories without a medical marijuana license, which practically anybody can get for any severe pain or chronic illness at their territory's Medical Marijuana Office.

Sale of marijuana is taxed (in the gray market), and is strictly reserved for those who have the proper certificates. In the prominent black market, however, sale of marijuana without a license is rife, giving rise to extremely potent strains.

Recreational drug use is not a inherently a criminal act in Consigahria; however there are laws governing how a person treats his own body or the body of another person, and there are laws regulating trade of some drugs. In Consigahria, people felonies (felonies which affect people, such as theft, murder, manslaughter, etc.) are specifically illegal at the federal level. This means you could be charged with manslaughter and other drug charges if you sell scopolamine to somebody and they overdose and die. However, generally, there seems to be an absence of laws governing drug use, except where sale from state to population is concerned. The government sells some drugs to help with drug addiction--for example, cannabis and liquid methadone are sold by government clinics to rebut addiction to meth.

In Consigahria, the drug black market is alive, well, and booming. As a socialist and democratic domestic policy, the black market is allowed to run rampant. In most cases of medical treatment of drug addiction, clinic patients must sign a waiver and a contract stipulating they will continue to seek treatment, or forfeit their right to seek treatment altogether for no less than a year. Only because it's necessary, a small handful of Consigahrian federal intelligence agencies keep tabs on those who are addicted to a drug and seeking treatment.

Cannabis is specifically unregulated. The nation makes about NS$56 quadrillion a year, R$101 quadrillion in profit from cannabis sales annually. However, cannabis doesn't seem to be very addictive, although dependencies can be formed. In cases of dependency on cannabis, though it's not mandatory like treatment of other drugs is, psychotherapy is often employed. In cases where cannabis treats chronic pain, anxiety, or depression, doctors tend to prescribe stronger cannabis grown by the government. Other drugs are potentially more criminal.

PCP is also sold in small quantities by clinics, whose employees try to slowly wean users off the drug.

Heroin, however, is treated differently than PCP; heroin addiction is rebutted with sales of other opioids.

Rohypnol is rebutted with sales of medication, psychological counseling, group counseling, and participation in outpatient group therapy programs. As with treatment of dependency on other drugs, there are several government-level and state-level welfare programs which help the economically underprivileged to get the help they need.

Amphetamines (for example, dextroamphetamine – a medication used in the treatment of ADHD that is also sometimes used to treat narcolepsy; levoamphetamine – a psychostimulant known to increase wakefulness and focus; lisdexamfetamine – used in treatment of ADHD; methamphetamine - used in treatment of ADHD and obesity; Adderall) are a real problem in ghettos across the nation. If you live in Consigahria, your doctor may prescribe methylphenidate if you have severe intravenous amphetamine dependence. Fluoxetine may decrease your cravings. Imipramine may help you stick with your treatment for amphetamine dependence. Your doctor may prescribe other medications to help relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression, and aggression. However, a prescription isn't necessary in Consigahria to obtain a drug that isn't necessarily over-the-counter.

Hallucinogens, such as magic mushrooms and peyote, are also a problem, although most problematic cases involve the more dangerous drugs, such as a medication used to treat motion sickness and postoperative nausea and vomiting called scopolamine, Consigahria's most dangerous and most potent drug. Hallucinogen addiction treatment in Consigahria is different from most other drugs that are addictive. The basic hallucinogen treatment is to care for the person and help keep them calm and stress free. This is because there are no pharmacological treatments that help with a hallucinogen dependency. Sometimes, the treatment includes seclusion for mental health purposes, especially in cases of addiction to scopolamine.

Cocaine is the third most-popular recreational drug in Consigahria. There are many different types of cocaine addiction treatment. The most common methods of treatment include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Behavioral Therapy; Motivational Therapy; Rewards Therapy; Support Groups; Individual Counseling; Family Counseling; and Group Counseling. Each of these are a program, a subsidy of a welfare program for mental health. Cocaine is the number-one cause of marital violence in Consigahria, and the third leading cause for marital murder.

Ecstasy, however, is not a common drug for primary addiction. There is no specific treatment; rather, general methods of treating addictive behavior are the rule. The first step (along with abstinence) is to identify the reasons for taking the drug and see how those problems can be addressed in other, more healthy ways.

Lawful public nudity

Public nudity is not a crime, and is protected as freedom of expression in Consigahria. It has a tendency to become law that public nudity is compulsory; but due to health concerns (frostbite, exposure, etc.), the law is often repealed as the climate shifts in order not to allow it.

When public nudity is legally compulsory, to wear clothes on public property (government- or state-owned property) is a misdemeanor crime and is punishable by a night's incarceration and a legal fee. People indeed go to jail for a large accumulation of unpaid fines regarding the matter; the limit is R$250,000, and one individual fine can be up to R$100,000. It is not illegal to wear clothes in specific places, such as some clothe parks, most hospitals, private schools which require uniforms (this applies to the students and faculty only), some places of worship, residential places if the owner permits (or if the owners unanimously permit), and jobs in which specific clothing is necessary. It is also not illegal to wear clothes in public on recognized national and unrecognized (but provable) foreign religious holidays. It is illegal to lie to an officer of the law about a national holiday as an excuse to wear clothes on public property, and to lie to a judge or Supreme Court Justice is a federal offense called perjury; a person who breaks this law is charged with two counts of disruption of the peace, and repeat offenders are incarcerated for two months per charge in federal prison, where they are completely barred from clothing of all kinds, and to commit perjury is to face years of federal prison time.

History of legality

In 1913, a federal law was passed which prohibited clothing worn in public, but not clothing accessories, except in cases of extreme cold. Prohibited clothing legally includes all blouses, shirts, pants, undergarments, skirts, "skorts" (skirt-shorts), and all other clothing garments, except all jackets, hoodies, socks, shoes, sandals, hats, caps, skullcaps, beanies, piercings, tattoos classified as "clothing" such as permanent make-up, and diapers if necessary. Clothing which cover two body portions, such as one-piece pajamas and pantyhose, are specifically illegal to wear.

In its 2000 reestablishment, the law defined prohibited clothing as "fiber and textile material worn on the body to hide or obscure its cosmetic appearance, or for the purpose of hiding erogenous zones."

In its 2021 reestablishment, prohibited clothing was redefined into a list of specific clothing, which basically reverted to the above in a bullet list format, and some other clothing items such as diapers were decriminalized. After a few years, several people masqueraded as disabled people who compulsively defecated on themselves and claimed therefore they had to wear diapers, and after prosecution for breaking the compulsory nudity law, they countersued and lost. In the trials that ensued, it was established that diapers may only be worn in public if medically necessary. It was also established that fetishism, including manic fetishism, would not qualify as medical necessity.

The law was repealed in 1918, reinstated in 2000, repealed again in 2005, reinstated again in 2021, repealed yet again in 2030, and reinstated permanently in 2031...or so it would appear. In late 2131, the law was repealed again. For each repeal, public schools operated by territories began to enforce uniforms on school grounds, while other schools merely began to allow students and faculty to dress to a modest extent however they pleased.

In 1913, the law was passed in order to "absolve all envy within a single nation and people under God" in an attempt to be regarded as a more holy nation to their deity.

Death and nudity

Most Consigahrians choose to be dressed in tachrichim, a black robe, for their "burial," as that is the religious custom. Some choose to remain unclothed.

The term "burial" has undergone some change since the nation's antiquity. Today, the term is generic and refers to the way the dead prefer their bodies to be treated after death. Some choose cremation; some choose to be buried in their physical body and tachrichim; while others choose simply to be left undisturbed until the detritivores are finished with it. Some prefer to literally be buried six feet under the ground; but most families would have to travel long distances to bury their loved ones, so the nationalized cremation movement is usually how the dead preferred their bodies to be disposed of.

In 2015, the government made cremation of the dead compulsory because cemeteries across the nation were absolutely full. "If the family of the dead can transport the cadaver across an international border without desecrating it, they may dispose of it however they please, in accordance with that nation's laws," an RA justice said.

Just Be Nice, OK?

In 2014, the federal government introduced a "Just Be Nice, OK?" initiative, which stimulated widespread compassion. Today, citizens of Consigahria are taught, or "brainwashed" if one prefers, to love and give unconditionally. Whether it's a teaching, encouragement, or brainwashing, it's yielded a much better economic result, and the country is better off for it.

Population Day

Population Day has been proclaimed as an annual recognized national holiday occurring five days before Hanukkah, on which day all citizens are exempt from taxation for 24 hours. Citizens are exempt on this day from all taxes, including and especially sales, property and income tax.

Further reading