Requirements

What's required.

On the subject of Requirements, only one thing can be said: they are required. Requirements, by definition do not make room for exclusion, unless conditions within the given set are dictated as optional (Exclusions, though similar, are not exceptions. They will be covered in Chapter 2). Requirements can take many forms, most of which are either verbal or specified in documents, but there are less known requirement manifestations. One such design is known to many as conformation.

Conformation

Conformation, though given a bad name, is merely society's desire to be at peace with itself. Though many fight not to follow this requirement, the vast majority find that apathy will eventually lose the battle for them and they will submit in the face of their defeat. (Apathy is an example of an exception, which will be covered later in this chapter.) The few who are successful in their fight against conformity face another requirement: Indoctrination.

Indoctrination

Indoctrination is the requirement most have no idea that they are involved with. Once a person is indoctrinated, usually unbeknownst to said person, their entire reality revolves around a requirement class called a 'doctrine'. This class is not medical, although the word seems to be related to the word 'doctor', instead it molds all perception of reality around other system's ideas and opinions. The system who generated said doctrine, though they may or may not be more intelligent than their victims, are usually charismatic and highly persuasive. They normally distribute their doctrines within music, documentation, or via language. Most doctrines are not airborne and are not able to be transmitted via fluid, but this is not always the case. Doctrines are, however, known to be contagious, and may proliferate via the creation of policies.

Exceptions

Exceptions are often found buried deep within requirements, sometimes known as loopholes. Generally, society perceives exceptions as neutral entities, but in some cases they might fall within one of the two known extreme classifications: good, evil. While most exceptions in any given requirement are never really truly good or truly evil, the systems executing the exception could fall into these categories. Thus, exceptions inherit the classifications of the system they are running on. Requirements do not inherit these traits, however, as they are created within a specific classification. Exceptions are typically rare when a requirement has been given in a document format, though they can sometimes be found when conflicting rules are stated within said document. Verbal requirements tend to be full of exceptions, however, but these exceptions are regularly less clear due to the fact that verbal requirements are defined within each system's memory slightly different.

Example

Sue told Bob to take the trash out. Bob remembers this, but doesn't remember that she told him last night, and the garbage truck has already come and gone. When he does remember this, an exception is formed, but Sue will still be upset with Bob because the garbage is still in the house. The system running the requirement, Bob, did intend to execute the requirement as stated by the creator, Sue. The exception in this example is neutral, because it is due to a memory error and not with the intent to cause harm. This fact will not save Bob, sadly. He will be missed.

Apathy

Apathy, as mentioned above, is a special kind of exception, being a willful disregard of a requirement without reason other than that the system simply doesn't want to follow the requirement. While not inherently good or evil, the later classification is most often the result during empirical tests (See Evil definition). The level of evil apathy can result in depends on the strength of the requirement, ranging from minor soul death to genocide and world destruction. Bob, in the example above, could potentially have been following the apathy exception, which, if Sue perceives this, would result in more serious consequences toward Bob or any object of his affection: possibly his dog. Don't do it, Sue.

Systems

Requirements can be run on a vast array of systems. Systems range from people, to computers, to faceless entities, to flora, and even fungal infections. Systems which are not subject to requirements are not worth mentioning in this chapter, since most systems who are reading this will not be able to comprehend a system subject to nothing.

Test your knowledge

• Are Requirements classified as good or evil?
• What is the essence of Apathy?
• Given that all systems which can be comprehended by systems reading this are subject to requirements, what reasons can you give that one might execute or create a requirement in the first place?