I’m in the process of writing a fanfiction, so I’ve been thinking about Irken culture more recently. By culture, I mean anything that could fall under that, like social norms, entertainment, art, etc. It’s such a broad topic that I can write at length about it, but here’s a couple of my ideas.
As stated in another thread, I think that Irkens have their own “snacking culture”. Due to an Irken’s Pak being able to stretch out nutrients for long periods and their consumerist ideologies, having an excess of food is considered luxurious. Irkens are possessive by nature, so they are very protective of the food that they have. It is not socially acceptable to take foods previously claimed by another Irken unless the Irken taking the food highly outranks them. With this exception, the inherent possessiveness is overridden by the height discrimination that affects many different areas of their culture. The Tallest’s lives are particularly glamorous because they can lounge around and eat without it reflecting badly on them for wasting their precious time instead of working. On a related note, this idea of certain Irkens being allowed long breaks is extended to other higher ranking Irkens.
On the subject of entertainment and art, they are both connected by the reoccurring theme of propaganda. Entertainment needs to push an Irken value, such as showing the strength of Irkens or upholding Irken beauty standards. I think that what “Irken beauty standards” entails is self-explanatory: being tall with a body type that further accentuates how tall they are and no physical signs of being defective. If a shorter Irken is depicted in media, they must be uglier and dumber than their taller counterparts. Much like their technology, Irkens also import media from other alien cultures. Imported works need to be carefully curated first because building blind loyalty would involve alienating themselves (pun not intended) from other species and creating the view that everyone else is either out to get them or that they are far lesser than Irkens.
Irken art is more propaganda than art. Irken artists need to be officially employed by the empire and must follow a set of strict guidelines. Many high ranking Irkens, current, and past Tallests especially included, will commission portraits of themselves. The style needs to be in realism and having correct proportions is essential. Despite the rigidness, Irkens are very masterful in dynamic perspective. Irken artists have gotten around the rule of using correct proportions by creating poses that can give the illusion of a larger height, which is highly favored by clients. I like to think that there is an outsider art scene that came from wanting more creative control and better representation. This scene consists of a diverse group of untrained Irken writers and artists who anonymously trade their works. In Irken living spaces, you might find a hidden art studio where many Irken outsider artists gather to share their works. Irken outsider artists like to experiment with style and surrealism. There is also a sort of black market for unauthorized Irken literature. Irken writers go under pen names due to some subject matter being illegal, such as works that have revolution themes, anti-eugenicist themes, anti-height discrimination themes, etc. Books with revolution themes are intensely hunted down by the Irken government. Semi-unrelated thought, I like to think that there are Zim sympathizer and apologist writers out there who use him as some sort of rebellious figure despite him being incredibly conformist. It's hilariously ironic to me and also, it kind of makes sense? Zim actively fought against the idea that an invader needs to be tall.
TW EUGENICSThe rule against anti-eugenics comes from a headcanon that I have where Irkens unable to work are killed. This came from noticing that there are no elderly Irkens except for one comic issue though the circumstance was so unique that it wouldn't count.
TRIGGER WARNING ENDS AT THIS POINTIf Irken society wasn't so work-focused, the preferred style for many things like art, architecture, and fashion would be incredibly gaudy. Overly decorative, focused on taking up space, and incredibly loud. Bright colors, complex patterns, rhinestones, etc. Irkens love luxury and glutton and size! Their society doesn't allow them the extent of how much they want to stop to indulge themselves.
Now that I'm thinking about it, this may be why they are like that. The Irken Empire is their hive, and they must work as a collective to maintain it. Everyone is expected to be useful, and they must be satisfied with the part that they were given. They must always be useful, and focusing on oneself is selfish if it hasn't been earned. The taller Irkens are the most intelligent and, therefore, must serve more impactful roles. The shorter Irkens are given "simple" jobs that take "less effort". Anyone can cook, and anyone can clean, so why should they get rewarded for it? Meanwhile, these Irkens over here are piloting the mothership and deciding how to make the empire even greater and must be given wonderful fresh baked goods and people to serve it to them for their hard work.
AAAAA I rambled on for longer than I thought! Does anyone have their own ideas that they want to share?
? WHEREE ARE YOU PEOPLE....
