What kinda jobs do you think would the people at Dema have? Especially the ones who work closer with the bishops
There'd probably be multiple layers to their society, depending on how low or high risk one would be when it comes to rebelling against the regime.
I'd say that those allowed to live in the outer rings of Dema are most likely just very standard in nature; the story itself has mostly followed the extremes of society, those fighting against the regime, and those staunchly tightening their fist to retain it, but I feel like SAI showed the middle of what that society looks like.
People have homes, people have jobs. I go back and forth on whether or not they would have some form of currency, but if they it'd be something like those worthless company scrip tokens that were given out out in the 1930s; ones that are only good for dema-approved purchases, in dema-approved stores. All that society knows is what is within it's circular walls.
Still, for society to function, they need people working construction, sanitation, infrastructure; I'd say that those most faithful to the regime are placed in comfortable accommodations; it doesn't so much matter what job you do, but how dedicated you are to the cause, so it appears as though wealth isn't judged by your station, rather your faith. This might seem fair to those within the society, especially one so brainwashed to believe that their only worth is their servitude to the bishops and to vialism, but... It's clear from the outside how fucked up it all is.
Clancy speaks in his letters specifically of serving their bishops faithfully, and feeling a sense of pride to work for Keons before his awakening. I believe that many don't even work for some kind of payment, simply because it's what they were assigned by their beloved architects of their city, and so they carry it out without question...
I'd say that identified high-risk individuals would be watched closely, however. It's shown in NATN, that captured banditos specifically are taken to some kind of compound or re-education centre. They likely are forced to stay there, imprisoned until they are to either be used to "better society"... Or to be disposed of.
Children wearing grey are also present there, and that could be for a number of reasons;
Their parents are known defectors, or the children themselves are seen as "problem children" and are placed in the re-education system
The compound itself is where the new generation of dema citizens receive their first doses of soul-crushing propagandistic education, where they learn the ways of vialism and living in dema
Or, most chillingly, the children were intended to be placed into vials at the age they were at. (I see this one as a personal headcanon that would make dema even more terrible, but I also don't see it likely as at the vialism ceremonies, adults are the only ones present)
The education system would probably ferry these children into their assigned roles, their assigned lives. The bishops would likely have an intricate interconnected system, which takes into account the purposes of all of their test subjects; Once a child is suitably prepared for the life assigned to them, they're placed in one of the districts that requires their service. They likely stay in this job until they die, however, occasionally if their purposes are required elsewhere, they will be reassigned. There's no applying for other purposes, no choice in what they do or where they go, if they're separated from those they love... Wherever their bishop assigns them, they must go.
Often, children who are placed in this system and end up in different districts are separated completely. This is just a quirk of the system, as the city is large, and they never know where their friends have gone; all they know is where they've been placed, their purpose, and their given name.
On the most inner circle of dema, are the most trusted advisors and the highest security level criminals.
Criminals are kept in aforementioned compounds for sentencing, be it re-education, as bargaining chips agains the rebellion, or to be placed in vials. Even the prisoners, in the mind of Dema's elite and it's citizens, all have a purpose, how nice.
I doubt the bishops would often allow anyone close to them, or their plans. They may allow SOME close advisors and community leaders, but seem to coordinate everything themselves; Though, for whatever reason... Have specific interest in Tyler himself, for the strange power he holds. They also somewhat had/have this specific interest in Clancy, at least Keons did/does, likely because he was/is so deeply interwoven with the banditos, that he was/is a person of interest to them.
But who can know for sure.
