Citizens and Civilians represent Love on Earth, gathered first together as an Orphan Sphere of Civilians, and growing to become a Community of Citizens. As is the nature of Love, Citizens and Civilians align their social structures to reflect the Concert Hall. Unlike Wanderers, Freemen, and Civilians, who are generally “free” to do as they please, Citizens are bound to each other through a transparent government, sustainable livelihood, and equal opportunity to express their appropriate preferences, either privately or publicly, as defined by their Community’s Constitution. In a Community, no voice is raised above another, no hand expected to do more than they’re capable of. Above all, Citizens and Civilians seek to enhance and evolve their relationships with each other through intentionally vulnerable participation. The common thread among all Citizens is a faithful simulation of the Concert Hall’s Complete Information. For this reason, special guidelines apply, such as the use of a neural-democracy and the imposition of a physical boundary to both isolate and protect a Community. Accountability, connectivity, transparency, compassion, and interdependence are key motivators.

As the initial Bodies of Water – loose groups of Civilians, virtually or physically formed around a Primary Organizing Pillar – Orphan Spheres may exist as places of physical residence, but aren’t necessarily required to be. Civilians enjoy only the partial rights and responsibilities of Citizens. Should any Orphan Sphere coalesce in purpose and membership, they may work by themselves or with other Spheres through the River Sages to become a Community, with a formal Constitution, location, and ties to the River. Once a Community is formed, those members of the contributing Spheres are then considered Citizens of the Community.

The singular distinction of membership between Civilians and Citizens is due to the unique nature of Communities, existing as fixed, secure locations. The status of “Citizen” is based on both membership in a Community Sphere and one’s current occupation of a Community, symbolizing the fully-connected, enclosed nature of the Concert Hall. Should a Citizen be physically outside their Community, and not belong to or identify with a Rock Body(s), they are temporarily considered a Civilian of their Community Sphere, able to act in ways not allowed by Citizens, such as engaging in economic activities (Power).

Just as all Signature-Frequency Sets in the Concert Hall are directly connected with each other in a single environment, the primary characteristic of Community citizenry is cohabitation. Anyone physically inside a Community is either a temporary visitor (Civilian) or permanent member (Citizen) of that Body. This distinction is implicit to the function of the Body’s neural-democracy – only Citizens vote in their Community. In this way, long-term residents have an outsized impact on shaping their Community’s laws. Although members are free to come and go, Communities are designed and intended to be permanently occupied by their memberships, allowing for deeper connections between members – the primary aspect of the Concert Hall.

Just as the process of Complete Information allows entry to the Concert Hall, consent by the Community is required for any outside Cult member to enter any Water Body, except Active Sages performing their duties. All Citizens are considered tacit members (Civilians) of all Water Bodies, unless a specific Body rejects the member’s privilege to enter. This grave action requires both legitimate cause (River-approved) and the Body’s confirming vote of denial, or an urgently-issued ISD. This has no effect on entering other Water Bodies who’ve not defined such cause and carried out such action.

Citizens who violate their Body’s laws are not subject to corrective action or punishment, but instead, provided the time and assistance to adjust their behavior. If the citizenry feels that an individual will not or cannot follow the Body’s laws, the ultimate consequence is an alteration of citizenship through a Constitutional, Sage-approved, neural-democratic vote. At this point, the member is removed from the Body, and recategorized as either a Civilian (membership suspension) or Wanderer (membership revocation). This change in status affects only the Body’s view of its member, not necessarily the wider Cult, as the member may still be a Citizen, Civilian, or Freemen of another Body. For outcast members, conditions of their return will be established based upon well-defined, Sage-approved reason(s) for their removal, and they will remain outside the Body until those conditions are met. Whereas Civilians automatically return upon compliance, Wanderers must additionally resubmit a request to rejoin the Body, reversing the revocation of their membership through a neural-democratic vote of the citizenry. For the purpose of influencing this vote, after compliance, Wanderers will be guaranteed sufficient indirect access to the citizenry, such as digital or physical correspondence. Should it be established that the Wanderer is threatening / harassing a Citizen(s) through this process, this right will be suspended, temporarily or permanently.

Read our philosophy to better understand our Creed.

Tire marks on a snowy road in the shape of intertwined hearts

Civilian and Citizen