Isolationists

"Arcadia is our home now, and we must make the most of our situation by learning as much as possible about it, for the sake of our survival and that of future generations."

Isolationists are one of the largest groups of people on Arcadia, all with the shared common belief that Arcadians are better off out of sight and out of mind from the galaxy at large, and should build a society based on science rather than corporate interests. They tend to focus their efforts on understanding the planet they live on and improving the quality of life of its inhabitants, rather than seeking some form of rescue or reconciliation with outside forces like Exodists do. Indeed, many Isolationists see outside forces, such as the Earth Empire for instance, to be a potential enemy to their way of life, no doubt a notion passed down from the first Isolationists who emerged post-Collapse. Historically, the first Isolationists felt their work and way of life on Arcadia was suffering and being unfairly dictated by the Earth Empire, and serves as an explanation as to why separatist sentiments were so high pre-Collapse. For this reason also, Isolationism is considered to be the polar opposite cultural phenomenon to the Exodist Imperative. There are divergent sects of Isolationism, with Eco-Isolationism being by far the largest of these. Most major factions on Arcadia consist of people who identify as Isolationists, and they tend to be a less scattered people than Exodists are.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

Isolationist tenets and shared customary values are very much focused on scientific discovery, community improvement, and social freedoms and equality. Some of the core tenets are as follows:

"We must learn all we can about our home so as to make life here safer and therefore happier, especially for the generations to come": Isolationists are constantly focusing research on environmental hazards of Arcadia, whether that be geological, fauna, or flora. Their belief is that knowing the dangers makes them better prepared to face them, and if their society is to stay on Arcadia for the long-term, information on such issues is absolutely vital to success.
"We are better off out of sight and out of mind from the galaxy at large": The passage of time has not cooled the separatist fervour of two-hundred years prior; many have had these strong beliefs passed down to them from one generation to the next, and so Isolationists are fiercely proud of their self-reliance and progress since being cut off from the rest of civilised space. As far as they are concerned, they are working towards what really matters, and doing so without political or corporate oversight is the only way to do it.
"We must prepare to defend our way of life": All Isolationists agree - perhaps rather fearfully - that it is possible the Earth Empire may return to Arcadia someday, or even some other outside force may lay claim to it. Although recognising how odd it is that no one has bothered them for so long, theories abound that knowledge of Arcadia couldn't have been lost so easily, and so they try their best to prepare for the worst. Security and defence gets a lot of attention considering Isolationists are generally peaceful and scientifically-minded people, but protecting their children and the relative peace of Arcadia is an important ideal to strive for. In addition, keeping the Exodists in check is also a priority that seemingly bounces wildly from tense diplomatic relations to open conflict.
"Building a society that respects the planet and the people living on it is a careful balance that we strive to perfect": It's no secret that despite all of the Exodist Imperative's energies being spent on technological preservation, the Isolationist factions are doing the most to advance the fields of engineering and urban planning. As some of the larger settlements expand with growing populations, Isolationists strive to build infrastructure which works with nature whilst making life as healthy and comfortable as possible for their people. They believe that all people deserve to live well whilst having access to the beautiful planet they call home.
"Our children are the future and their education is everything": Education, particularly that which is academic in nature, is taken very seriously in Isolationist societies. Most leave their schooling with degrees, and some go on to be doctoral experts in their chosen fields. It is almost a cultural taboo to not take education seriously; children are typically admonished for not doing their absolute best when at school, as a lot of effort goes into making sure they get a top education.
"This world is for everyone; even the Exodists, if they can stop running around and chasing after impossible dreams, are welcome": Isolationists strongly believe in equality for all, not seeing race, beliefs, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disabilities to be something to discriminate someone for. Despite tense relations with Exodists, their presence is more tolerated than anything else. Violence is where the line is drawn, however, and Isolationists see the wanton harming of people or the planet as an inexcusable crime, usually responding to the perpetrators in kind.

Major organizations

Isolationists are some of the most abundant people on the planet and make up the majority of the populations of Isolationist-leaning factions. The largest of these are the CFAS (which is considered to be the founding faction of the culture) and the AEU (Arcadian Explorer's Union). The Northern Alliance and The Southern Alliance are also Isolationist factions, although most of their citizens identify with Eco-Isolationism. Some minor factions, such as USK (United Settlements of Kilaru) and the Longacre Collective are also Isolationist.

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:VI-0679 'Alexandria': (CFAS Archiving Virtual Intelligence)

Diverged ethnicities