Culture Lowdown

The year is 2520. The rebellion destroyed Mars five years ago, ushering in a new way for humanity. In practical terms, however, very little has changed for the common people. Five hundred years of Martian rule has solidified the class structure into something unmalleable. There is no distinction between old money and new money, because so few people will ever cross that threshold and become rich themselves. It is a society split in two, between the richest 1 percent of the 1 percent, and everyone else. Because of gene editing and therapy, the rich are effectively a distinct race, towering over most people at an average height of 7 feet, with exceptional specimens reaching 9 feet and up.   Culturally, myths and stories of Earth have all been erased. At one point this was a conscious erasure, now its because everyone has simply forgotten it. Any words or references to stories like the Odyssey, One Thousand and One Nights, and Journey to the West are almost all done with ignorance as to the original story.   There are a few upsides for the majority of society, however. Because of the speed and easy availability of surface travel, people's planets become their hometown, few people stay in one city for their entire life, and those that do do so as a conscious decision, rather than because of a lack of opportunity. Medical cures for diseases like cancer and heart diseases are widely available. Gender reassignment surgery is extremely advanced, and undetectable save for genetic markers and infertility. The galactic internet has made knowledge and communication even easier, and people usually get their post-secondary education using it.