Society Controller is an interactive simulation and art piece that explores the interconnected nature of modern civilization. It features a wall-mounted controller with 41 sliders, each representing a key societal factor — from healthcare and governance to economy, corruption, crime, environment, and beyond.
This project simulates how adjusting one pillar can ripple through the system, either leading toward balance or collapse.
This prototype focuses on the Healthcare system, with the following sliders:
- Healthcare Access
- Healthcare Quality
- Healthcare Affordability
- Disease/Sickness Level
These interact dynamically via nonlinear influence logic, exponential effects, and systemic caps — giving a realistic sense of how policy tradeoffs affect public health.
| Category | Sliders |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Access, Quality, Affordability, Sickness |
| Governance & Rights | Democracy, Authoritarianism, Free Speech, Firearms, Corruption, Trust, Domestic Security, Foreign Security, Tax Loopholes |
| Culture & Social Justice | Racial Equality, Gender Equality, Education Access/Quality |
| Economy & Labor | Minimum Wage, Employment, Innovation, Food Supply |
| Taxation | Income Tax, Corporate Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Sales Tax |
| Crime & Conflict | Crime Rate, Policing |
| Environment & Resources | Pollution, Energy Access, Resource Scarcity, Infrastructure Investment |
| Housing | Homelessness, Affordable Housing, Cost of Living |
| Surveillance & Privacy | Surveillance Index, Privacy Protections |
| Public Services | Transportation, Digital Access, Bureaucratic Load |
| Cognitive Pressure | Mental Health, Cultural Polarization, Information Overload, Institutional Complexity |
- Real-time GUI simulation with 41 interdependent sliders
- Lockable controls for isolating influence
- Red/yellow/green indicators for each slider's threshold zones
- Exponential bonus effects and stress-based resilience models
- System stress display based on deviation from balance
# Clone the project
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/society-controller.git
cd society-controller
# (Optional) Create a virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
# Run the simulation (currently healthcare module)
python main.pysociety-controller/
├── main.py # Launches the simulation
├── modules/
│ ├── healthcare.py # Current active module (Access, Quality, Affordability, Sickness)
│ └── [economy.py, housing.py, etc.] # Future modules
└── README.md
This isn’t just a simulator — it’s an interactive thought experiment. It invites you to feel how complex systems behave when you push too hard in one direction. It’s a tool for:
- Policy exploration
- Classroom discussion
- Interactive art exhibitions
- Systems thinking
"What happens if you max out democracy but ignore corruption?" "Can a country survive with perfect freedom but no trust?" "Is it possible to lower taxes and improve infrastructure at the same time?"
Slide your way into answers.
- Python 3.7+
tkinter(included with most Python distributions)- Desktop OS: Windows, macOS, or Linux with GUI support
- Activate full 41-slider interface
- Implement multi-module switching
- Scenario presets (e.g. USA 2020, Nordic Model, Collapse Mode)
- Graph output for trends
- Web-based version
- Physical controller with motorized sliders and LED bars
Designed for people who think in systems, not soundbites.
Slide thoughtfully. Balance is hard. Chaos is easy.