Organisation of society

1. Release

1.1. Punishment

1.1.1. breaking the rules 3 times

1.1.2. some actions lead to immediate release (the pilot)

1.2. not a punishment

1.2.1. for a newborn

1.2.1.1. sad and quite unsettling

1.2.2. for the elderly

1.2.2.1. "celebration for a life well and fully lived" p9

1.3. Definition

1.3.1. " a disgrace" p11

1.3.2. " a final decision, a terrrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure" p3

2. Ages

2.1. each category is referred to by its age (the Ones, the Sevens...)

2.2. 50 children in each category if noone was released

2.3. after twelve, they are considered as adults

3. Jobs

3.1. the jobs are "assigned" , so not chosen

3.2. assigned by the Elders

3.3. assigned at the ceremony of Twelve

3.4. appeal process possible to avoid disappointment

3.5. birhtmother, nurturer, engineer, doctor, lawyer, speaker...

3.6. have to volunteer in the different jobs

4. Rituals

4.1. sharing of feelings every evening

4.2. sharing of dreams every morning

4.3. sing the patriotic anthem every morning at school

4.4. standard sentences to apologise, to thank people...

5. Rules

5.1. IMPORTANT

5.2. everybody has to abide by the rules

5.3. Rules: very difficult to change - very long process

5.4. some rules can be broken

5.4.1. teaching a child under Nine to ride a bike

5.4.2. Father looked up Gabriel's name before the naming ceremony

6. The Elders

6.1. the oldest people in the community

6.2. have an important role

6.3. The Receiver of Memory

6.4. assign the jobs

7. Families

7.1. family units

7.2. Spouses: people are given spouses, so not chosen

7.3. Parents have to apply (and be approved!) to have a child

7.4. 2 children: "one male, one female" p10

7.5. children are adopted at the Ceremony of One

7.6. Newborns are given a Name a the Cermony of One

7.7. a committee chooses the Names

8. Miscellaneous

8.1. Voice in the speaker: various annuncements, reminder of the rules, telling what to do

8.2. everybody rides a bike

8.3. Hall of Open Records with everybody's information

8.4. Comfort Objects: from birth to Eight

8.5. No animals - they do not exist