The Plural Code.
Aug. 4th, 2009 05:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
siderealA few days ago, we randomly decided to start making a 'Plural Code' -- like the Geek Codes of old (well, not that old), it would indicate in abbreviated form some important facts about the code-makers.
We are aware there is a 'Multiple Code' already extant, but wanted to make one that focused more on system functioning. A lot of things that codes such as this include (relationship status, religion, age, hobbies) are left out of this one. We wanted to keep it deliberately short, and to focus on the way a system perceives and runs themselves.
Here's our first draft of it, with some notes and questions. Please let us know what you think, and any improvements that could be made. All categories and modifiers are optional; leave out what's irrelevant to you.
Global modifiers:
>: We want to change this to something else (i.e. G.M>A, or F-->F-).
!: We feel strongly about this/this is very important to us.
PluC - Plural Code indicator.
T. - Type. What kind of system are you?1
Mu: Multiple
Me: Median
Sh: Soulbonds/headmates (daemon, muses, imaginary friends, etc.)
Asp: Aspected singlet
O(type): Other (specify if you want)
Un: Unknown/still figuring things out
Mixed types are indicated with a slash, i.e. T.Asp/Sb for an aspected singlet with soulbonds, or T.Mu/Me for a multiple system with median members.
Modifiers:
@: We have a host/central person/'original' person.
G. - Collective gender presentation. People (should) see a _____ person when they look at you.
M: Male
F: Female
I: Intersexed
A: Androgynous
Gq: Genderqueer
Q: Questioning
N: Non-gendered
O(gender): Other (write your gender here)
X: None of your business/irrelevant.
Bigender/polygender and complex gender presentations can be indicated with slashes, i.e. G.F/A/Gq for a system with a female, androgynous and genderqueer presentation.
Modifiers:
*: We identify as trans.2
O. - Origins. How did you come to be plural?
Bp: Born plural, or became plural naturally3
Ga: Gateway system
Sb: Soulbonding
Sp: Splitting
Wc: Walk-ins/channeled beings/spirit guides
Un: Unknown.
Meh: It's irrelevant and/or we don't care.
Mixed origins are indicated with a slash, i.e. O.Ga/Sp for a gateway system with splits.
Modifiers:
#: We identify as trauma-based, wholly or partially.
%: We experience our origins as neurally generated, i.e. a brain variance.
*: We experience our origins as a supernatural and/or spiritual thing, i.e. travel from other dimensions or reincarnation.
~: We're not sure; this is just our best guess.
W - World. Where do you live?
W---: We live here. We share a body/brain, not an inner/other world.
W--: We don't inhabit an inner/other world, but have subjective inner space in which we can interact.
W-: We inhabit a small inner/other world that we perceive as subjective and/or mutable.
W: We inhabit a large inner/other world that we perceive as subjective and/or mutable.
W+: We inhabit a small inner/other world that we perceive as physically real.
W++: We inhabit a large inner/other world or group of worlds that we perceive as physically real.
W+++: We inhabit literal, physical other worlds.
If different groups within the system inhabit different places, this is indicated with a slash, i.e. W-/++ has some members in a small subjective/mutable world and some in a large world perceived as physically real.
P - Population. How many of you are there?
P---: Non-zero (i.e. median/aspected).
P--: 2-5.
P-: 5-10.
P: 10-20.
P+: 20-50.
P++: 50-100.
P+++: Over 100.
P~: Unknown and/or uncountable.
Pf - Population Flux. How often do people arrive and leave?
Pf---: Never. The same people have always been here, and always will.
Pf--: Very, very rarely. We're pretty constant.
Pf-: Rarely, though it does happen.
Pf: Occasionally.
Pf+: People come and go pretty regularly.
Pf++: Change is a part of life for us.
Pf+++: You probably won't know any of us by tomorrow.
Modifiers:
#: New people arrive, but old ones don't leave.
=: People leave, but new ones don't arrive.
F - Fronting. Who does, and how often?
F---: Only one person ever fronts.
F--: We have a small, mostly constant group of fronters.
F-: We have a small, changeable group of fronters.
F: We have a medium, mostly constant group of fronters.
F+: We have a medium, changeable group of fronters.
F++: We have a large, mostly constant group of fronters.
F+++: We have a large, changeable group of fronters.
Modifiers:
~: Fronters are often blendy, fused together, or indistinct.
&: While there may be this many people near front, not all of them are fronting; i.e. they are copresent, hanging around, 'inbetween' fronting and not fronting, etc.
Sep - Seperateness. How 'separate' are you?
Sep---: I/we are one being with different facets/aspects.
Sep--: I/we are somewhere between one and many.
Sep-: We're blendy or fused together a lot of the time, but are still different people.
Sep: We will sometimes get blendy or fused together.
Sep+: We are separate all the time, but are very close to each other.
Sep++: We're all separate all the time, and sharing a system doesn't make us close.
Sep+++: We're more 'separate' from each other than some groups of singlets!
If some groups within the system are more or less separate than others, indicate this with a slash, i.e. Sep---/+.
Cn - Closeness. How interconnected are you? To what extend do you share your lives?
Cn---: We don't even talk to each other very much, and never meddle in each other's lives.
Cn--: We're like a group of acquaintances; people's business is mostly their own.
Cn-: We're like a group of friends; we care for each other, but don't interfere too much.
Cn: We're like a family; we take care of each other.
Cn+: We're like a very close family; we're heavily involved in each other's lives.
Cn++: We're extremely close. We share almost everything.
Cn+++: I/we are essentially one being/mind.
If some groups within the system are more or less close than others, indicate this with a slash, i.e. Cn--/++
Com - Communication. How often do you communicate?
Com---: We never communicate with each other.
Com--: We only rarely communicate with each other.
Com-: We communicate on a semi-regular basis.
Com: We communicate on a regular basis.
Com+: We communicate very often.
Com++: We are in near-constant communication.
Com+++: We are in constant, flawless communication.
Fct - Fictives. Are any of you fictive-identified, or fiction-based (original or not) soulbonds?
Fct---: No fictives/soulbonds here, and the whole notion is bizarre and/or offensive to us.
Fct--: No fictives/soulbonds here, but we have nothing against them.
Fct-: A few of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct: Some of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct+: A fair amount of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct++: The majority of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct+++: All of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Modifiers:
~: Fictive system members are distinct in a meaningful way (in identity, origin, experiences, etc.). from non-fictive system members.
|: Fictive system members are not distinct in a meaningful way from non-fictive system members.
(Note: these modifiers can be combined if both 'types' of fictive members are present in the system.)
Ps - Psychiatry/psychology. Your relationship with the mental health system.
Ps---: We are anti-psychiatry, and believe it does more harm than good.
Ps--: We are skeptical about the mental health system and would probably not seek help there.
Ps-: We aren't currently in therapy or seeking therapy, and don't think we'd ever need to.
Ps: We aren't currently in therapy or seeking therapy, but would if we felt we had to.
Ps+: We are currently in therapy or seeking therapy.
Ps++: We are in therapy or seeking therapy, and will probably be so for a long time.
Ps+++: We expect to be in therapy for the rest of our lives.
Modifiers:
v: We see/have seen/may see a therapist for issues directly related to our plurality.
^: We see/have seen/may see a therapist for issues unrelated to our plurality.
#: Our relationship with the mental health system is mandated/involuntary.
On - Outness. How open are you about your plurality?
On---: Nobody knows.
On--: Only one or two others beside us know.
On-: A few close friends and/or family members know.
On: We generally tell people that we come to trust.
On+: Telling people about us is a prerequisite to friendship with them.
O++: Everyone that sees us on a regular basis knows.
O+++: Everyone knows, within a minute of meeting us.
Notes:
1. These are the 'types' of system we are most familiar with. If you know of any others, please let us know.
2. Having trans history (i.e. accessing hormones/surgery) and identifying as trans are not the same.
3. We think the word 'naturally' is bit problematic here, as it tends to infer other ways of becoming plural are 'unnatural', and would welcome any suggestions for a better way to frame it.
We are aware there is a 'Multiple Code' already extant, but wanted to make one that focused more on system functioning. A lot of things that codes such as this include (relationship status, religion, age, hobbies) are left out of this one. We wanted to keep it deliberately short, and to focus on the way a system perceives and runs themselves.
Here's our first draft of it, with some notes and questions. Please let us know what you think, and any improvements that could be made. All categories and modifiers are optional; leave out what's irrelevant to you.
Global modifiers:
>: We want to change this to something else (i.e. G.M>A, or F-->F-).
!: We feel strongly about this/this is very important to us.
PluC - Plural Code indicator.
T. - Type. What kind of system are you?1
Mu: Multiple
Me: Median
Sh: Soulbonds/headmates (daemon, muses, imaginary friends, etc.)
Asp: Aspected singlet
O(type): Other (specify if you want)
Un: Unknown/still figuring things out
Mixed types are indicated with a slash, i.e. T.Asp/Sb for an aspected singlet with soulbonds, or T.Mu/Me for a multiple system with median members.
Modifiers:
@: We have a host/central person/'original' person.
G. - Collective gender presentation. People (should) see a _____ person when they look at you.
M: Male
F: Female
I: Intersexed
A: Androgynous
Gq: Genderqueer
Q: Questioning
N: Non-gendered
O(gender): Other (write your gender here)
X: None of your business/irrelevant.
Bigender/polygender and complex gender presentations can be indicated with slashes, i.e. G.F/A/Gq for a system with a female, androgynous and genderqueer presentation.
Modifiers:
*: We identify as trans.2
O. - Origins. How did you come to be plural?
Bp: Born plural, or became plural naturally3
Ga: Gateway system
Sb: Soulbonding
Sp: Splitting
Wc: Walk-ins/channeled beings/spirit guides
Un: Unknown.
Meh: It's irrelevant and/or we don't care.
Mixed origins are indicated with a slash, i.e. O.Ga/Sp for a gateway system with splits.
Modifiers:
#: We identify as trauma-based, wholly or partially.
%: We experience our origins as neurally generated, i.e. a brain variance.
*: We experience our origins as a supernatural and/or spiritual thing, i.e. travel from other dimensions or reincarnation.
~: We're not sure; this is just our best guess.
W - World. Where do you live?
W---: We live here. We share a body/brain, not an inner/other world.
W--: We don't inhabit an inner/other world, but have subjective inner space in which we can interact.
W-: We inhabit a small inner/other world that we perceive as subjective and/or mutable.
W: We inhabit a large inner/other world that we perceive as subjective and/or mutable.
W+: We inhabit a small inner/other world that we perceive as physically real.
W++: We inhabit a large inner/other world or group of worlds that we perceive as physically real.
W+++: We inhabit literal, physical other worlds.
If different groups within the system inhabit different places, this is indicated with a slash, i.e. W-/++ has some members in a small subjective/mutable world and some in a large world perceived as physically real.
P - Population. How many of you are there?
P---: Non-zero (i.e. median/aspected).
P--: 2-5.
P-: 5-10.
P: 10-20.
P+: 20-50.
P++: 50-100.
P+++: Over 100.
P~: Unknown and/or uncountable.
Pf - Population Flux. How often do people arrive and leave?
Pf---: Never. The same people have always been here, and always will.
Pf--: Very, very rarely. We're pretty constant.
Pf-: Rarely, though it does happen.
Pf: Occasionally.
Pf+: People come and go pretty regularly.
Pf++: Change is a part of life for us.
Pf+++: You probably won't know any of us by tomorrow.
Modifiers:
#: New people arrive, but old ones don't leave.
=: People leave, but new ones don't arrive.
F - Fronting. Who does, and how often?
F---: Only one person ever fronts.
F--: We have a small, mostly constant group of fronters.
F-: We have a small, changeable group of fronters.
F: We have a medium, mostly constant group of fronters.
F+: We have a medium, changeable group of fronters.
F++: We have a large, mostly constant group of fronters.
F+++: We have a large, changeable group of fronters.
Modifiers:
~: Fronters are often blendy, fused together, or indistinct.
&: While there may be this many people near front, not all of them are fronting; i.e. they are copresent, hanging around, 'inbetween' fronting and not fronting, etc.
Sep - Seperateness. How 'separate' are you?
Sep---: I/we are one being with different facets/aspects.
Sep--: I/we are somewhere between one and many.
Sep-: We're blendy or fused together a lot of the time, but are still different people.
Sep: We will sometimes get blendy or fused together.
Sep+: We are separate all the time, but are very close to each other.
Sep++: We're all separate all the time, and sharing a system doesn't make us close.
Sep+++: We're more 'separate' from each other than some groups of singlets!
If some groups within the system are more or less separate than others, indicate this with a slash, i.e. Sep---/+.
Cn - Closeness. How interconnected are you? To what extend do you share your lives?
Cn---: We don't even talk to each other very much, and never meddle in each other's lives.
Cn--: We're like a group of acquaintances; people's business is mostly their own.
Cn-: We're like a group of friends; we care for each other, but don't interfere too much.
Cn: We're like a family; we take care of each other.
Cn+: We're like a very close family; we're heavily involved in each other's lives.
Cn++: We're extremely close. We share almost everything.
Cn+++: I/we are essentially one being/mind.
If some groups within the system are more or less close than others, indicate this with a slash, i.e. Cn--/++
Com - Communication. How often do you communicate?
Com---: We never communicate with each other.
Com--: We only rarely communicate with each other.
Com-: We communicate on a semi-regular basis.
Com: We communicate on a regular basis.
Com+: We communicate very often.
Com++: We are in near-constant communication.
Com+++: We are in constant, flawless communication.
Fct - Fictives. Are any of you fictive-identified, or fiction-based (original or not) soulbonds?
Fct---: No fictives/soulbonds here, and the whole notion is bizarre and/or offensive to us.
Fct--: No fictives/soulbonds here, but we have nothing against them.
Fct-: A few of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct: Some of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct+: A fair amount of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct++: The majority of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Fct+++: All of us are fictives/soulbonds.
Modifiers:
~: Fictive system members are distinct in a meaningful way (in identity, origin, experiences, etc.). from non-fictive system members.
|: Fictive system members are not distinct in a meaningful way from non-fictive system members.
(Note: these modifiers can be combined if both 'types' of fictive members are present in the system.)
Ps - Psychiatry/psychology. Your relationship with the mental health system.
Ps---: We are anti-psychiatry, and believe it does more harm than good.
Ps--: We are skeptical about the mental health system and would probably not seek help there.
Ps-: We aren't currently in therapy or seeking therapy, and don't think we'd ever need to.
Ps: We aren't currently in therapy or seeking therapy, but would if we felt we had to.
Ps+: We are currently in therapy or seeking therapy.
Ps++: We are in therapy or seeking therapy, and will probably be so for a long time.
Ps+++: We expect to be in therapy for the rest of our lives.
Modifiers:
v: We see/have seen/may see a therapist for issues directly related to our plurality.
^: We see/have seen/may see a therapist for issues unrelated to our plurality.
#: Our relationship with the mental health system is mandated/involuntary.
On - Outness. How open are you about your plurality?
On---: Nobody knows.
On--: Only one or two others beside us know.
On-: A few close friends and/or family members know.
On: We generally tell people that we come to trust.
On+: Telling people about us is a prerequisite to friendship with them.
O++: Everyone that sees us on a regular basis knows.
O+++: Everyone knows, within a minute of meeting us.
Notes:
1. These are the 'types' of system we are most familiar with. If you know of any others, please let us know.
2. Having trans history (i.e. accessing hormones/surgery) and identifying as trans are not the same.
3. We think the word 'naturally' is bit problematic here, as it tends to infer other ways of becoming plural are 'unnatural', and would welcome any suggestions for a better way to frame it.
