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maskormods) wrote2013-12-23 08:25 pm
[ARCHIVED] INFORMATION: EDUCATION, CULTURE & SPORTS
These pages are being preserved for reference but are no longer active and will not be updated. Please visit modormenace for all current game information!
The institutions listed on this page are not controlled by the moderator staff; rather, they are intended for player use, to bring local life and color to their characters' interaction with the world of Mask or Menace. Special thanks and complete credit go to Amy and Skalja for their hard work in fleshing out the education system, to Stacey and Win for their development of general culture, and to Danielle and Peps for their contributions to the sports world.
At the moment, superhero as a media form is not as popular as one would believe due to the world having real ones. In lieu of that, there is a heavy idolization of American patriotism and fixation on story telling that features saving the human race either through means of science or joining the (American) military.
Reality television programming barely caught on; stories that focus on war, the core American family, and sci-fi are the most popular shows on television right now. Many of them have won Emmys over the years. The war genre is featured in both big budget Hollywood films and indie cinema throughout the continent, with fictionalized and or/dramatic romantic subplots added in, given the popularity of the romance sub-genre.
Most, if not all, American television and films paint Russian figures and the USSR as the cliched villains whom at the climax of these stories, have still not learned to get along with the rest of the world to achieve world peace. Those of Russian heritage are also written with dubious or conflicting morals, furthering the negative stereotypes they currently endure. Villains in movies and television, in general, tend to be very obvious or over dramatic in contrast to the heroes, with far less antiheroes portrayed or given the spotlight.
Television and film casts are more racially and sexually diverse, with minority groups seeing better representation in the media. They can be seen as protagonists of their own stories or directing, producing, and/or writing. There are less stories focused on struggling against oppression and more that feature them in sci-fi and sitcoms especially.
News and media is still consumed and popular in all its various forms: television, newspaper, internet, and radio. Newspaper subscriptions have been declining at an incredibly slow rate, therefore is unlikely to disappear altogether anytime soon. Internet and television remain the most popular form of news consumption, with nightly news reports a la Walter Cronkite being the primary source for the general public. While privacy has always been a concern, censorship has not and it it is generally understood that everything to be aired for public consumption must pass several government agencies before approval. As a result, twenty-four hour news does not exist and cable and network have no interest in making it a reality.
Music tends to have a heavy American bent to it, just as film and television do. The alternative scene never managed to successfully take off and as a result, had an impact on the rock genre with its focus on questioning or defying authority figures. Instead, big band music has made a successful comeback, along with music with militaristic overtones, such as Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
Health sees a major focus on the cure, but not prevention. "Pick up after yourself" is the common-most attitude among the general public regarding health. With advanced medicine and pills that provide instant cures and remedies, most people view it as an unnecessary punishment to not eat the foods they want, regardless of how unhealthy it is, or indulging in bad habits such as smoking. Celebrities also endorse brand medications for, such as slimming thighs over miracle diets. Tobacco is a popular and fine American products, as is whiskey and the like. With pills that can cure ailments immediately, the purchasing and consumption of these products are high, with many strongly supporting their American economy. Because of this and general endorsement of these vices, the age to consume or purchase may be lower in some states, starting at 16, rather than 18 or 21.
In the area of fashion, the general air of practicality and relying on US-made products has seeped into the business. Conserving resources and recycling and reusing creatively is highly applauded and often encouraged. The nylon industry has never made a proper recovery as a result, though is still mostly used by the government. This resulted in a faster transition of women wearing pants and other pieces of garments that did not call for stockings.
Unisex clothing can be easily adapted to flatter male or female figures, though if desired; many buyers leave it as is, and is a popular trend. It is considered more efficient for an American factory to make one shirt that can be tailored by an American tailor than to make and export twenty slightly different shirts sold in a department store.
In the face of the rising movements of the USSR and as a competitive show of equality, there has been a push for a lot of women's sports. Due to this, there is a balanced level of men's and women's sports teams, with women's teams growing more and more popular and some men's sports declining a little. Male cheerleaders have also become as commonplace as it is to change the channel or see women's teams headlining sports sections in the local media.
With the current level of technology, robotics competitions, in which robots square off against one another, have steadily been growing in popularity. There are underground competitions as well, which are often illegal. Hoverbikes, boards, and skates are used at extreme sport events and other competitions and famous athletes and competitors endorse companies and brands that put out their own bikes, boards, etc.
America is largely invested in their sports culture and show a great amount of pride and respect for their American-born athletes. At national competitions there are boasts about a strong nation boring strong athletes and vice-versa -- athletes are revered and idolized, much like the participation in sports. With imPorts a presence once again in the country, many are hoping to see them partake in sports events and teams.
Instead of tennis, badminton wins out in popularity. Wembley stadium in England hosts the biggest badminton tournament of the year, giving newcomers the chance to face off against the biggest and the best players. Despite this, badminton is more or less the national sport throughout what would have been the Commonwealth, taking the place of both cricket and rugby.
Smaller, but still wildly reported tournaments are also held in Australia, New Zealand, California and South Africa.
In a bizarre turn of events, cricket's popularity resides prominently in mainland Europe, with Italy and Germany having the most successful teams in the world, bested only by India.
Both equally popular as each other, there's a lot of good natured jeers between friends about which sport is the "real" sport. America holds the biggest competitions in the world, with Vegas hosting it every year.
School-wise, college baseball is the more popular choice among students. Everybody has their own team, be it local, their alma mater, or otherwise, and fans are incredibly loyal. There are different leagues based on such factors as region and school size, and games are televised with a wide viewership.
In accordance with Physical Education classes in schools throughout the nation, general athletics and exercise is wholly encouraged and promoted among young students.
American patriotism and core values are inducted into the education system, starting with teaching children from a young age, with cartoons both made for airing at school and beyond to teach children positive and pro-American values. Some of these cartoons are about understanding the valuable contributions Registered imPorts make to society and the difference between Registered Heroes and well-meaning, but dangerously undisciplined vigilantes.
Society in general sees all contributions to a functioning society as positive positions to be in. Everybody is important. As a result, the societal emphasis on the importance of college and/or university education is not as strong as it is in the real world. It is fairly routine for students to pick career paths in high school that lead directly to work after graduation. Some careers may include stints of trade school or apprenticeship-like situations before one becomes licensed or certified in their field.
In addition, this lack of expectation involving higher education causes those who do opt to go the university route to be seen as going the extra mile. However, this praise is also fairly dependent on their area of study. Fields that can easily be seen as contributing to fighting the good fight (engineering, international relations, political science, medicine, etc.) are looked upon more favorably, while arts and humanities (with the notable exception of foreign languages and cryptolinguistics) are perceived as dreamy and impractical. Because of this, students going into favored fields generally have more opportunities for scholarship and financial assistance, and many states have sponsorship set-ups in place for prized careers.
Another option available to young people is that of various military academies throughout the nation. While most accommodate post-high school students, there are a few that cater to younger students, acting as the nation’s prestigious boarding schools. Students who go this route are seen as especially worthy of praise and admiration for their educational and career choices. In addition, students who enlist right out of high school find it easy to get scholarships for their higher education once their active service is complete.