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July 2056, the Nim population has hit a point of stagnation. |
My name is 1, I am
a proud, yet worn out
nimizen of what has
been known as the
Nimation for now more
than five centuries. |
Since our formation in
Europe in 1532
our population has
remained stable. |
We remain a steady
and horrifyingly tiresome
sixteen individuals,
stuck in what is now a
seriously embarrassing
hierarchical structure:
the pyramid. |
Our society used to be organised in the following structure: |
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We respond to a very simple set of rules: |
(i) Only one couple
is allowed at the time
in Nimation. |
(ii) Nimizens are only able to communicate with their immediate neighbour, i.e 1 and 7 can never be in touch. |
(iii) Only Nim’s of an
identical position within
our pyramid structure
can navigate outside
of the pyramid together
at once. |
As you may imagine, the referral to multiple 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s was quite unsettling, arousing jealousies that could confuse outsiders. |
The Nim Revolution of 1904 marked a turn in our history as new names were assigned to each nimizen: |
img |
alt |
nim_1-2.jpg |
the new names after the Nim Revolution |
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Embracing each nimizen as individuals, through distinct names and physical features became the norm. |
Our diversity had finally
become the trope for a
fair representation of
the self within a
co-dependent society. |
The following year, 1905
the L-group composed
of 3, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16
and myself wanted to go
even further and
re-considered our
architectural ideologies. |
img |
nim_illustration_1-4.jpg |
|
We wanted to implement a new set of rules: |
(i) Nimation is opened to groups and individuals. It will no longer be a couple only experience. |
(ii) Nimizens are able to engage with any other nimizens, not just their immediate neighbour. |
(iii) Identity and social stature are no longer limited to one's position in the pyramid. |
(iv) Nimizens are able to navigate outside the structure with any other nimizens not only with those of similar structural stature. |
(v) The traditional pyramid structure becomes a structure amongst others, not the default structure. |
(vi) One's fate shouldn't be set in stone, one should have agency as to the path one chooses. |
(vii) Nimation should be
open to the growth of its
nimizens as well as its
annihilation, retirement
of its nimizens or
replacement of
its nimizens. |
Unable to convince the others of the necessity of the institution’s rewriting our structure remained the same. |
img |
nim_illustration_1-1.jpg |
|
|
ne |
sw |
1: Pssst! |
2: What?! |
|
1: I'm not talking to you. |
|
nw |
se |
2: I think 1 is trying to talk to you. |
3: What is it? |
|
ne |
sw |
1: I'm lonely. |
3: We already talked about this. |
|
1: Well it still hasn't
been solved. |
3: I’m sorry there is
nothing I can do about
it at the moment,
you could... |
1: People assume because I'm at the top of the pyramid, everything is great for me! |
1: Ha, sure is a great
bore. Five centuries of
solitude, an omnipotent
perspective that has
no witness. |
1: No one to share my point of view with. |
1: To get any mundane experience across I need a waterfall of information, to slightly hope one will get some kind of input and they might never understand. |
nw |
se |
3: I understand you! Or at least try too. |
2: Quiet you two,
I'm practising. |
|
ne |
sw |
1: And when I go,
I go alone. |
3: Well at least you don't
have to suffer the
unreasonable ones
of this row. |
|
nw |
sw |
1: And when I fear,
I fear alone. |
3: You talk to me, sometimes. |
|
ne |
sw |
7: Is 1 having a
moment again? |
3: Yes, yes, we're trying to figure it out. |
|
nw |
se |
2: Sssh. |
6: This again? |
|
nw |
se |
2: 1 is trying to annihilate us again. |
6: Let them be, they will be picked on soon enough again. |
|
sw |
nw |
2: Hmm. |
1: And when I dream,
I dream alone. |
|
nw |
se |
7: They got everyone
up again. |
3: Everyone's up now. |
|
nw |
se |
1: Well not enough. |
3: Let's keep it quiet
for now. |
|
nw |
se |
1: You know? |
3: Tell me. |
|
nw |
se |
1: In dreams...
I walk with you. |
3: Roy? |
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