ITT TECHNICAL INSTITUTE | 2063 | EG462: World Culture | | Joshua Wallace | 9/5/2013 |

This document is an imagined view of cultural differences fifty years after an epidemic, the fall and re-emergence of civilization, revival of governing powers, and decades of wars. |

Prologue It’s the year 2063, fifty years has passed since the epidemic that changed humanity forever. During the fall of 2013, an airborne virus called raptus was spreading rapidly through North Africa’s population. The virus caused no significant symptoms out of the norm other than that of a common cold. Once contracted with raptus, the victim usually died in their sleep after five to seven days. With the latest advancement in international travel through a transport called Hyperloop, capable of transporting any adventurous traveler anywhere in the world in just a few short hours, caused the transmission of the virus seem almost instant. Within the first week, ten percent of the population had deceased; the end of the second, thirty-five percent had perished. By the end of October, a month after the spread of raptus, about three-quarters of humanity had been wiped out. The twenty-five percent of survivors, “the not so lucky few”, carried a rare immunity to the virus. After the passing of the epidemic, there was a worldwide collapse in societies. Governments ceased to exist after the epidemic, so chaos ran ramped amongst the twenty-five percent. Without any governance, people resorted to looting and pillaging. Another five percent of what was left of mankind had laid victims to the violent chaos. Humanity lost its bearings for almost four years until the rise of new powers began to surface in various parts of the globe; North America, South America, and in the Middle East. By the end of the first decade, Governments had been formed again and order began to be restored. Then, just six years later came the first conflict; a war for power over all and the monopolization of resources. With the abundance of chemical and nuclear weapons to one’s disposal, unprotected by treaties, were used in violent wars on vast battlefields that, by the end of the second decade, left thirty percent of the planet in ruins and uninhabitable. Conflict and wars clashed on between the three governing powers for another two decades. It is the fall of 2063, fifty years after the epidemic and this is the cultural views of individuals within the three governed societies. The African Tobacco Farmer
I am a tobacco and cannabis farmer, and currently involved in an underground regime of rebels planning a revolt against the government and it’s militia in Malawi, southeast Africa. The militia controls everything in these parts and they are merciless animals that work for a corrupt government that breaks the strong willed and puts the sick and weak down like dogs. Before the epidemic, I lived in a small hut with my wife and four living children. We had eight children but four of them died when they were babies. In our country, many young children died because we didn’t have much access to health care. Most people died young due to infections, including malaria and HIV. Not much has really changed from that aspect. I spent most of my time in the fields trying to grow tobacco, along with my older children who helped. We also grew small fields of corn, which used to be my family’s main source of food. Once the stalks were tall enough, we’d pick the ears and take them to a local mill, which would grind the corn into a paste. We used this to make our meals. If we had enough money during a good harvest season, we would buy fish at a local market. In our country, education was not mandatory, but the government at the time did provide five years of primary education. I made little money then, but it was more than what I make now farming tobacco since the militia charges all villages a large protection fee that costs more than half of what I make which is almost nothing to begin with. Since worldwide laws have been changed now with the three main Governments in power, Cannabis is currently legal to grow and sale, so I’ve been growing cannabis for almost four decades now. My wife and three of my four children died from the raptus virus and my fourth child and oldest son was taken by the militia ten years ago and I haven’t seen him since.
The food supply is controlled by the government and therefore two corn stalks and two potatoes are issued every day. Every three days, the government allows a free pass for fishing as long as half of our catch goes to the militia forces. The previous government controlled the news and entertainment on the radio and today’s government still does the same, so we only hear what the government wants us to hear.
My greatest worry is whether my son is still alive and okay and if I will ever see him again. I hope that eventually our rebel forces will be strong enough to fight off the militia and eventually over throw the corrupt Government so that we can finally live free.

The Chinese Farmer
Hello, I am a Chinese rice farmer living in a small village in the Yunnan Province of southwest China. My mother and father have passed during the raid of 2036, when a governing power from the east began to seize control of its surrounding countries. Today, my village has been liberated for almost six months now. I guess that I can’t really say that it’s liberated, but rather deserted due to the damaged soil from chemical wastes. Before raptus, the Yunnan Province had just begun to thrive in wealth from the increased tourism, thanks to the new Hyperloop technology. There were 11 new high-end hotels built in the surrounding cities to accommodate the increase in visiting travelers. We were famous for our Dianhong teas and beautiful land marks. Globalization increased our global value and served as a turning point for our country to move from poverty to riches. Now, fifty years later, much of the country is deserted and in many areas the soil is no longer usable for farming. The governed forces set up bases in the cities and used the hotels as barracks while storing chemical weapons in the nearby villages, knowing the dangers of doing so. Nine months ago, there was a chemical leak that polluted the water table and eventually toxicities found their way into the rice fields and into the drinking water of many nearby cities. Because of this, the governed forces moved to a new location. As for myself, I chose to stay because I have been plagued with a sickness from the chemical leak and have been marked for death. I am okay with this and ready to move on from this world. So far I have spent my numbered day’s dreaming about my life when I was eight years old. I used to hurry and get all of my chores done so that I could ride my bicycle into town while my mother and father worked in the rice fields. There used to be a local bar next to the food market that had a television in which I used to watch. It was always just the news on, but it was still great to imagine myself at some of the different places shown in the news casts. I always wanted to travel but unfortunately never got the chance.
The village doctor has chosen to stay and take care of the sick. There are around twenty eight of us bed ridden and waiting for our time to pass. Medicines, water, root vegetables, and rice have been transported from the far west, outside of the contamination zone. The travels are difficult and dangerous for our fellow neighbors who have been offering their resources in helping. For this, I wish them the best of luck in futures to come and may the world forever be liberated from this fifty year nightmare. The German Software Engineer
Before the Epidemic, I was a German immigrant new to life in what used to be the suburbs of Baltimore, MD, in the United States of America. About twenty years ago, the country was renamed to North American Territory, or N.A.T. I am no longer a software engineer and now a cyber-security specialist working within the intelligence department of N.A.T. Defense, located within Fort Hood, Texas. My work hours are hectic and random at times due to the countries high alert status. I roughly work around sixty hours a week and so I don’t have as much time to do the things that I used to. I haven’t been to my home country since the epidemic because my entire family and everyone that I knew passed away from the raptus virus, including my wife. My German Sheppard passed thirty-six years ago and I took in another shortly after that was seeking shelter in an abandoned house. He too passed away a little over twenty years ago and I haven’t had another one since.
My grocery shopping consists of mainly cheese, oatmeal, corn, and beef in which I purchase from the local commissary on post. There isn’t much of a selection now that trade is limited with other countries. Oh how I miss the pork roast with sauerkraut dishes that my wife used to make.
When I’m not working, I try to stay in shape in do small road hikes within the authorized areas of the base. I also like to watch classic football, “soccer”, games from my home country because it reminds me of when life was better.
Most of the states in the North East Region of the country, along with the area in Baltimore, MD, where I used to live, have been destroyed from wars and weapons of mass destruction that has unfortunately rendered the area inhabitable. We had to move inland to Texas to regroup and rebuild what little forces we have left. I fear that what was once the greatest country in the world is not far from being virtually wiped out and re-territorialized by our enemies.