Conditioned Social Harmonisation
Conditioned Social Harmonisation is an emergent component of the ideology of the Harmonious Society, as practiced by the Benacian Union.
The concept of conditioned social harmonisation is rooted in the belief that individuals must be taught to accept and internalise certain societal norms and values in order to create a harmonious society. This is achieved through a process of psychological conditioning, in which subjects are exposed to certain stimuli and rewarded or punished based on their responses. Over time, this conditioning leads to the internalisation of the desired beliefs and behaviours.
Education
Conditioned Social Harmonisation is a key aspect of the educational system in the Benacian Union, specifically within the Humanist Institutes. This method of indoctrination is used to shape the students' beliefs and behaviours in order to align them with the values and goals of the Union-State. Through a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy, psychological manipulation, and ideological training, students are conditioned to accept their designated roles within society and to support the ideals of the Humanist philosophy.
The curriculum at Humanist Institutes is designed to facilitate this process of conditioning. Students are exposed to a wide range of subjects, including classical studies, the humanities, languages, mathematics, and the sciences. However, the curriculum is heavily slanted towards ideological training and indoctrination, with a strong emphasis on the teachings of Humanism and the importance of the Union-State. Students are taught to accept and internalise the ideals of Humanism, such as the belief in the superiority of the Human species, the importance of the Coordinated State, and the need for a just and harmonious society.
In addition to the curriculum, students are also exposed to a variety of psychological techniques to facilitate the process of conditioning. These techniques include cognitive behavioural therapy, which is used to change thought patterns and behaviours, as well as the use of psychoactive drugs in some cases. These drugs are administered in small doses with the goal of inducing a transformative mystical experience that causes a permanent rewiring of the brain to be more receptive to Humanist insights.
The Humanist Institutes also use physical conditioning to reinforce the indoctrination process. Students are required to participate in regular physical exercise and paramilitary training, which helps to create a sense of discipline and obedience. Additionally, students are required to adhere to strict rules and regulations, which further reinforces the process of conditioning.
Humanistic Empathy-Led Learning
"Humanistic Empathy-Led Learning" was introduced to the preparatory schools of the Benacian Union in 1716 AN as a core social component to the curriculums of the constituent realms of the Union-State.
Societal Compliance Utility Matrix
In the Benacian Union, the concept of conditioned social harmonisation has been expanded to include the implementation of the Societal Compliance Utility Matrix. The system, which is administered by the Benacian Censorate, aims to measure and track the trustworthiness and compliance of subjects within the bailiwick. The total information awareness surveillance system and technology upon which it would rely is the responsibility of the Commission for the Panopticon.
The Societal Compliance Utility Matrix operates on the principle that subjects' trustworthiness and compliance to the Union-State's ideals and agenda can be quantified and tracked through a variety of metrics, such as financial creditworthiness, social behaviour, and compliance with regulations. These metrics are collected and analysed by the Censorate, which assigns a numerical score to each subject. The score, known as the "merit score," reflects a subject's trustworthiness and compliance to the Union-State's ideals and agenda.
The merit score can be used to reward or punish subjects of the Union-State. For example, subjects with high merit scores may be granted access to better housing, educational opportunities, and job opportunities. On the other hand, subjects with low merit scores may be denied access to certain goods and services, or may be subject to additional surveillance and monitoring. The merit score can also be used to restrict travel between bailiwicks, as a subject must be considered meritorious by the authorities to be permitted to travel.
The Societal Compliance Utility Matrix also allows the Union-State to monitor and control the behavior of subjects, encouraging compliance with the state's ideals and agenda. For instance, the system can be used to track and monitor subjects' political beliefs, social interactions, and even their consumption habits, allowing the state to identify and target subjects who may be considered a potential threat to the Union-State's stability and order.
Workplace harmonisation
Conditioned social harmonisation was subsequently introduced into the workplace via the Guilds of Benacia during the 1720s. As the techniques had already been introduced to the population at large via the education system in the latter half of the preceding decade, Humanist cadres entering the workforce would regard such measures as normal and proved well attuned to identifying and denouncing those who did not share their appreciation of the inherent normalcy of harmonisation.
The techniques, previously perfected by Humanist researchers and the academicians of the Benacian Academy, that were brought to bear in order change the core beliefs of recalcitrant individuals in the work environment, were aimed at sowing confusion in the minds of those who would oppose manifestly beneficial harmonisation. This confusion was created by presenting logical contradictions as equally plausible, valid, and actionable. Those without a strong belief system, be it empirical, scientific, religious, or logical proved to be especially susceptible to the urgings of Humanist thought leaders embedded in the hierarchy. Those who had strong enough belief systems that enable them to challenge, refute, and oppose the core tenets of Humanism were subsequently coerced by small-group encounter techniques to conform to the ‘majority’ view as determined and sown by a thought-leaders and supported by the core group of ‘believers’ plus the newly recruited ‘sheep’ who joined the ‘majority’ group for fear of confrontation. On the occasion that the recalcitrant employee did not conform to the group pressure to adopt the ‘consensus’ view, he was further isolated from the group and ultimately, if compliance could not be attained, would be released from his employment, deprived of guild membership, and ultimately referred to the Cull Commission for his bailiwick.
The consequences of non-compliance frequently proved sufficient to gain the acquiescence of most. Nonetheless, workplace harmonisation officers were to be trained to remain vigilant for any person who, whilst dissembling, might not conform in reshaping the habits of their mind in line with the required compliance. A person who could conceal hidden doubt might be capable of any crime or violation of the Union Covenant.
