LOGOS
A w o r l d s e e n t h r o u g h l o g i c .
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ............................................... p. 3-5
Part I: Birth ................................................. p. 6-8
Part II: Fresh Beginnings ...................... p. 9-11
Part III: Homelife ...................................... p. 12-14
Part IV: The Matching ........................... p. 15-18
Part V: Castaways .................................... p.19-22
For so long, the debate on emotions and the role that they play in shaping society has been ongoing. However, its conclusion has not always been positive, as emotions often lead people to act on impulse, choosing to ignore laws or even common sense. The modern world could be described as primarily driven by emotions. There is a strong emphasis placed on empathy and tolerance, as humans need emotions to grow and develop. It could then be concluded that the world needs emotions in order to perform. However, can this same empathy and tolerance not be incorporated through logic and the basic idea of doing something to receive something in return? Unlike emotions, which tend to be fickle and dependent on how an individual feels, logic often remains the same, no matter the time of day or the state of mind of an individual It would therefore be more consistent Logos explores this idea by being only driven by logic It pictures a world where people act and make decisions based on practicality and what would make their lives more comfortable It also eliminates the concept of self and fosters a more communal mindset in which people help one another Not because they want to, but because it would make sense to do so, as it would generate some sort of income in the future It would also eliminate modern issues such as child abandonment, divorce, unemployment, etc , as everyone would be provided with a child, a partner, and a job that fit their profiles and day-to day lives rather than being choices made out of temporary interests When conceptualizing Logos, the approach began with picturing a polished version of the existing world A utopia is a fictitious reality in which the world is planned to be flawless, or an idealisation of a world To construct a utopia, certain answers to existing issues must be found in order to bring the world closer to perfection The project's major focus is on orphans who do not have guardians and individuals who are unable to function successfully due to emotional turmoil
Therefore, the answer is to establish a separate universe in which orphans from the world of emotions are matched with guardians and nurtured without emotions in order to maximize human productivity. We opted to construct our new world alongside the present world, which is referred to as Ethos, rather than a world on its own; it is a heterotopia within the current civilization. Logos is dependent on the world of emotions to provide orphans in order to maintain their civilization and increase the population, but it also addresses the issue of abandoned children. As a result, the world is a heterotopia in which key difficulties of the world with which it coexists are remedied. Considering this, the purpose of our narrative is to present its view through the eyes of an orphaned child. As our heterotopia is a society devoid of emotion that focuses primarily on practicalities and mutually beneficial interaction, the orphan's eyes reflect the injustice in the emotional world, Ethos, since they have little control over their parents or their own upbringing Certain orphans may be put in homes that are not ideal for them and that lack what they most seek in parents Do and will orphans fare better as individuals in a society devoid of emotions? This highlights the lack of emotions within a family that was formed based on an abandoned child's choice of a new home choosing the household in which they would ideally wish to grow up, lacking a truly homely sense Our narrative is aimed at an audience that sees emotion as a hindrance or weakness in leading a successful life There has been a long-standing notion that revealing emotion will take away from professionalism or the logic behind decisions For this reason, we imagined a world completely void of this "weakness" called emotion and instead fully reliant on functionality and efficiency We wanted to address this worldview and those who are misled by it through the telling of this narrative Some examples of this are people who grow distant after experiencing tough situations or those who believe that it is disgraceful for personal and work lives to be involved
They have been blinded by this misconception and cannot realize that the rawness of our emotions is what makes us human. By basing our narrative on the relationship between children and their parents, which is usually associated with care, we aimed to emphasize these characteristics and their counterparts.
PART I: Birth
A warm bubble all around that doesn’t seem to fade no matter which direction one turns. Not much space to spread one’s legs, but surprisingly comfortable. A space that seems to grow patiently, moulding perfectly around forming limbs. A feeling that can be compared to that of a hug that no one ever wants to remove themselves from. A bubble where everything is calm, peaceful, and quiet. Well almost. A thump. Although present, it is muffled. Its soothing vibrations rock you to sleep. People say a child is a mother’s gift: the dreaming, the longing, the anticipation, the belonging, the plans, the preparations, the excitement, the wonders of creation, the approaching time, the gatherings, the closeness, the names of being, the emotions, the heart lift, the new beginning. Sadly, she will never get to experience the true joy of this gift Then comes the question: Is it a boy? Maybe a girl? Will it have curls the same as its father's? How tall will it be? How much will it weigh? But most importantly, what will it become? It has now been close to nine months that he has been living within this confined space However, the longer he stays, the less he wants to leave He likes it here and cannot imagine himself anywhere else However, his days in this space are numbered; he can feel it Everything is slowly changing He can feel his senses heighten The serenity has vanished Noises are more prominent The space somewhat feels as though it has reached its maximum size, contorting uncomfortably around him He is slowly starting to feel claustrophobic He needs to get out It seems as though his thoughts were heard, as he suddenly feels an opening at the top of his head Against his will, his body is pushed toward the opening He can feel something grabbing his shoulder The noises only seem to get louder
He can now hear clinkering and rushing footsteps. Too much. It's too much.
He starts crying. A click is heard, and just like that, all he knew disappeared.
PART II: Fresh Beginnings
Bordering Logos is a culture termed Ethos, which is diametrically opposed to Logos. Everything is motivated by emotion and concern for others. People here love one another and would go to great lengths to support individuals they care for. When children are orphaned, there are foster homes specifically created to comfort them and provide them with a place to call home while they await their forever family. Arthur, the five-year-old black-haired boy, has lived at the Cherished Children's Home for four years now. The facility houses one hundred and seventy-six orphans on two levels with a capacity of eighty-eight children each. Each room accommodates two children, allowing them to find comfort in the companionship of another child their own age. There is also a bunk bed to conserve space and provide room for children to have their own play area There are two home-shaped windows in each room, one lower to provide views from the ground while children play and one higher to provide views from the bunkbed The rooms are also pushed in and out to create outdoor nooks and to offer cognitive stimulation in the interior hallway The top floor of the foster home is an open-concept space designed for a range of activities that children would enjoy There's also a playground in the courtyard and plenty of green space A typical day for Arthur would consist of waking up with his roommate Billy, a seven-year-old child who likes collecting leaves and playing in the sandpit, going to breakfast with his cohort, and participating in daily programed activities Recently, one of the staff members introduced him to fingerpainting, and Arthur became obsessed Today, however, is different; Arthur has been paired with a couple from their neighbouring society, Logos Since children are created through an expression of love, Logos sought a new way to sustain their nation It is a matching algorithm that connects orphaned children with potential Logos guardians in order to expand the population by teaching Ethos orphans their logical ways
During his daily painting session, Arthur was informed that he would be adopted by a couple named Pati and Sergio. Arthur felt ecstatic and just couldn't stop thinking about how his life would now be. As a way to show affection for his new parents, he began drawing a family portrait He would miss Billy and his orange leaves and sandpit adventures, but he thought he could definitely find someone new to play with at his new home. What he wasn’t told was that no such thing as a friend exists in the place he was going. To be able to live in logic, he would have to completely change his understanding of reality, but life was better that way for the people of Logos. Once children reach a certain age, it would be difficult to shift their way of thinking. However, Arthur was still young and capable of change. Or so they thought It was time for Arthur to meet Pati and Sergio He raced up to them, firmly grasping his creation "Hello, we've been waiting for you " Sergio says "Look! It is us!" exclaims Arthur as he presents Pati his artwork Pati and Sergio exchange glances before declaring, "We'll call him Artemis "
PART III: Home Life
Arthur's daily existence alters as he transforms into Artemis. The emphasis in Logos is on practicality and efficiency. Every matched group of people inhabits the same type of cubic building, The Cubic Dwelling. There is no purpose in having a range of residences or layouts when each individual can utilize a single one as the concept works for the people. It is not practical or efficient; it is simply a waste of time. Artemis and his guardians, Sergio and Pati, inhabit one of the units in the Cubic Dwelling, room 768DE-09. The house offers everything the trio requires: bathrooms, a kitchen, and separate sleeping quarters. These are all the rooms in the house because these are all they need to live; any extra space would be a waste of resources or promote excessive contact. By reducing each habitation to the bare necessities, each group is urged to focus on their routine and to devote their energy and time to producing valuable contributions to their role Additional elements in the household may lead to unnecessary interactions, which may build emotional connections These emotional bonds will reduce each person's efficiency and disrupt their routine This is not permitted in Logos Artemis adjusts to the standard routine for the children of the world, which consists of waking, leaving the home for his specialized schooling, then returning to the dwelling to consume meals and bathe before heading to his allotted room for rest Meals are provided during the school day to ensure that the children can perform to their full potential Artemis' schooling concentrates on the visual arts since he has been tested to be more adept in the field He will eventually be educated to the point where his skill permits him to operate as a member of society He will reach a stage when his abilities will qualify him for a job in the visual arts, whether it is drawing schematics to aid other occupations or creating pictures for educational reasons Since Artemis is still in the middle of his studies, he is supervised by Pati and Sergio until he is prepared to support himself
Pati, who is excellent in the culinary arts, stays at home to keep an eye on Artemis and his regimen until Sergio arrives home from work. When dinner arrives, each member of the household sits at their assigned eating table in the kitchen and consumes their own serving of food. Each individual has their own space, isolated from the others so that the kitchen is only used for meals. This avoids mealtime conversations, which can lead humans to lose track of time and fall behind schedule. Eating is only a way to get energy and meet biological demands. After dining and bathing, everyone in the home returns to their designated room for the night. The people of the Logos place a high importance on sound sleep as it allows them to be more productive in their everyday responsibilities, which ultimately increases the world's efficiency
PART IV: The Matching
The doors slide open in perfect synchronization with the chime of the bell as I step into the elevator with eight others Nine of us in total filled the elevator in a perfect 3x3 grid formation No more, no less This is just a glimpse into what my life now at the age of 32. Function, efficiency, and perfect balance are what rule this world. Today is Matching Day, an annual procedure where all young adults around the age of 30 are analyzed and measured by skill in order to determine the perfect match for their life partner. It’s a connection that works, and that’s all anyone needs to be satisfied here. What the other candidates don’t know is that I’ve already gone through this procedure twice the same lab tests, interview questions, and physical examinations but I still haven’t received the engraved ring that signifies your matched status with another person. What I do know is that if I still don’t have a match by the end of this round, next year will be my third and final chance There’s a reason why no one over the age of 33 is unmatched here, but no one has ever informed me what happened to those who aren’t. Unless I am the first. It’s a frightening thought, but in a world of rules and order, this should be a fact I should merely accept, right? An automated voice recites my name over the speaker, and I walk myself into the same room I entered exactly a year ago In appearance, it is identical to every other room in this building: stark white walls, concrete floors, and a sterile yet simultaneously metallic scent in the air. However, I recognize the same examiner who tested me last year and know they realize the same, although they make no expression of it And so the examination begins "Name?" the examiner asks with my file in her hand "Artemis." "Age?" "32," I reply with a slight delay. "Skill?" "Art." The examiner repeats my answer as if the word is a foreign taste in her mouth. After a noticeable pause, she stands and points toward a 3 m x 3 m cubicle, where she instructs me to demonstrate the use of my skill in exactly 60 seconds
I walk into the pristinely clean cube and close my eyes, silently conjuring the tools I have been so familiar with since childhood into my open hands. The smooth handle of a paintbrush, a round palette splattered with flaking spots of paint, and the smell of a fresh canvas awaiting me on the easel. For a minute, I forgot about the cold room around me and enjoyed what I do best. Creating new forms and mixing colours I never knew could be mixed together. Only while I created art did I feel truly myself and different from the rest of this monotonous, black-and-white world. Yet it seems that no one has been able to appreciate my artistic visions before, as if they lacked that same spark inside of them that allowed them to comprehend the happiness of creating. By the end of it, I’m breathless and could almost describe myself as exhilarated, but any tangible spark of that vanishes when I look back into the grey eyes of my examiner "Thank you; you may return outside and await your match results there," she stated as if the past 60 seconds had not happened at all If I hadn’t turned back for a glimpse at my messy yet beautiful canvas, I would’ve thought it had not happened at all I sit with perfect posture in the waiting room outside, along with dozens of other applicants awaiting their results We are called in order of birth date, and I just happened to be born at the end of the year I watch as the number of candidates in the room gradually decreases until only my row remains I wouldn’t say I am distraught because that’s something I am not capable of feeling, but there was a cold solidarity creeping in on me For the past six hours, I have watched as candidates were called along with their Matches to the reception booth and given the rings that symbolized their perfect compatibility They were then guided through a set of grand double doors that I have never had the privilege of entering It was a routine process, similar to waiting for a doctor's appointment, minus the coupling and rings, but it was the assurance and satisfaction of Matching that they received
There were now only two candidates left with me in the waiting room, but it did not even surprise me when they were announced as the final match. I accepted my fate as the security guards approached and led me down the dark hallway opposite of the double doors yet again. As I followed the sound of their reverberating footsteps, the dread that no one would ever find my skill useful deepened within me.
PART V: The Castaway
Artemis had reached the age at which he could be matched by his skill and become a novel provider within the emotionless society. Within this "life" cycle, an adult must select a partner based on personal ideals that are more beneficial and rationally suited for their lifestyle. Artemis is unable to pair on Matching Day since his designated skill is art as to comprehend and appreciate art, one would require emotions, which this world lacks, leading Artemis to be unable to discover his partner. If no match could be established, the adult would be cast out, which would be fatal. Artemis is banished to the chopping block, better known as physical purgatory, on the outskirts of Logos alongside other adults who are unable to find a partner. The group of mismatched persons approaches a massive, dark, foreboding structure On the inside, there is black material which mimics the building's façade The structure of this physical purgatory is similar to that of a Roman Catholic church: seating arrangements are positioned on the building's sides, leading to an aisle which advances towards a large platform This main podium is where the peerless adult stands for the last time before being eliminated Adults of all ages are being flung into the sky one by one in front of Artemis' eyes The solitude and coldness of the structure are projected onto everyone within, especially Artemis, as he sits and observes the passing people The town's priest asks the people if they have any regrets in their lives before they depart this world Many expressed remorse at not being capable of finding the perfect match; they must have asked for too much or were unable to fulfil someone else's requirements Some people even regret transitioning to Logos as they miss being able to feel and experience emotions Life without emotions causes other adults to be unable to feel anything and some to have no ultimate purpose in life otherwise If there are no feelings, there is no emotional connection between a child and a parent as they are solely considered as a benefactor to the youngster
What exactly would an adult benefit from raising an emotionally bonded child? They were never a true parent to a child and created no meaningful relationship between the members in a family. It was Artemis' last chance to become an economic provider for a possible spouse and child, but only because of his artistic ability. Artemis is sitting on the sidelines, doubting his capability to foster a child and be a husband to a wife. He takes a hesitant step onto the podium after waiting quietly till the head priest announced his name. Is he another another outcome of a failure in the Logos society, he wonders, having arrived in this world with no misgivings? Is he as ineffective as some claim? With a single tear sliding down his cheek, Artemis responds to the priest, "I have no regrets in my life," before being sent away. Artemis was then shown as a figure levitating toward the roof, where the primary light shines At 1:23 pm, Artemis was pronounced deceased due to being unable to find a match and showing emotion at his age of thirty-three
A w o r l d s e e n t h r o u g h l o g i c .
Solotiana R, Dorcas N, Jacquelyne V, Ellen L, Matylda S
