Amity

Amity is an important concept in Aristasian culture. It is one of the fundamental ideas that makes Aristasians think and act as they do, and is the product of a Maternalistic Society.



The ideal relation between maids is that of Amity. The term implies absolute trust and an indulgence such as that which a mother shows to her child. Aristasians, especially those of the more traditional sort, cannot feel happy or comfortable in their relations with others - whether private or businesslike - until a basis of Amity has been formed.

Theoretically Aristasia is a society founded on Amity, and in practice Amity plays a huge role in every form of activity. Aristasians bond closely to the people they live with or work with, and having done so are deeply loyal. Aristasians are a "we people" rather than an "I people", and the concept of "our people" - the people with whom one is bonded in Amity, and whom one can trust absolutely, is close to the core of Aristasian thinking and feeling. The ideal of the individualistic, independent person promoted by the Tellurian West strikes the Aristasian heart as cold and isolating to the point of being truly horrific.

Amity affects many areas of life. For example, centrally-owned chain-stores have had difficulty establishing themselves in Aristasia (they scarcely exist at all outside cities which have a large non-native population) because customers often have a relationship of Amity with the shop-owner and would consider it disloyal to take their custom away.

The term friend is also used for one to whom one is bonded in Amity, but the concept of friendship is a much deeper thing than it is in Telluria, where it can refer to mere passing acquaintanceship.



While Amity characterises one's relations with all the people whom one truly accepts, there is also Mayamity (great-Amity) which one shares with one, or a few, very special friends.

Such a person may be described as "My Amma (blonde)" or "Ammi" (brunette). An Amma/Ammi is a deeply-bonded friend, and the importance of this relationship is equal to marriage. Indeed, it is often valued more highly than romantic love, for romance can be a beautiful but temporary adventure, while Mayamity is for life.

Sometimes Mayamity is a group-bond between three or four who are all Ammas or Ammis.



In Aristasia Pura such bonds often begin in childhood and are nurtured throughout life by shared activities and experiences. Aristasians-in-Telluria have often considered the question of how they may replicate the bonds of Amity, considering that they have often shared few experiences and are, despite their rejection of it, the products of a fragmented society.

The earliest Aristasians overcame this naturally. Most of them came together in late-adolescence or very early adulthood, were bonded first by common attitudes and a common feeling of alienation from the world about them, and spent most of their time in each other's company. Two of the earliest expressions coined by the first generation of Aristasians were borrowed from the familiar wartime comments about overhead aircraft: "One of Ours" or "One of Theirs". "One of Ours" shared the attitudes and values of Aristasia and was bonded in Amity to the group. "One of Theirs" was an Outlander. Sometimes the very tightness and closeness of the first Aristasians is held to be the reason that so few of them have involved themselves with later outreach activities.

With new girls coming into contact with Aristasia by means of Elektraspace, and often having a strong sense that the Motherland was a thing they knew before they heard its name (these are sometimes called Exile Aristasians), often the yearning for Amity is one of their fundamental motivations.

And yet, in the transient world of Elektraspace, with a lack of shared experiences and real congregation, the building of true Amity is a challenge. Many hope to overcome this by the deepening of Virtualia, participation in virtual games and events, formation of study groups or even on-line schools, working together to build Aristasian outreach and community and possibly creating joint business ventures.

While such things as games may be regarded by some as peripheral, they are actually a part of the bonding process and bonding is central to the proper formation of Aristasia-in-Telluria.



The term amiable is often used in Aristasia. It of course means that a person is friendly and pleasant, but it also implies that she is, or potentially is, within the circle of Amity.

To say that some one is "not amiable" is a much more serious indictment than it sounds.



Amity stems from and is ruled by Sai Sushuri, as one would expect. However it is also strongly influenced by Sai Thamë, the "sister" of Sai Sushuri. Amity is one of the main pillars of the Harmony, or thamë, of society.

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