Things that humans do that are NOT acceptable in Transformers society
Note that the following is based on canon AND my own fanfictional interpretation.
While it's obvious that bots are different from humans visually, the differences are more than meets the eye. It turns out that socially, they are different too from what is considered as polite to things that would be a crime on Cybertron. The following are some things that are normalized in human society or at the very least ignored yet are considered as serious offenses in Transformer society. Sometimes, even illegal.
1- Making a call in public or around people in general. - Transformers consider privacy as sacred and that extends to conversations. It is VERY rude to eavesdrop, but it's also rude to go around blabbing your private conversations in public. People don't want to know about your private life and your blabbing is noise pollution. It's why they have call booths or "booths" as they call them. The one and only time it is acceptable to call in public is if it is an emergency. And if you're wondering, the same goes with texting. It's EXTREMELY rude to have your face glued to a screen when you're around people. Even in the home, when people are calling or texting, you go another room and do it. Texting and being on call in public will make you lose a lot of friends fast, and the people around you will walk away from you.
2- Going around topless if you are a man. - Regardless of gender, going around topless is considered as indecent exposure and will get you arrested. This is because anatomically, Transformers are build differently. On their chest, you will find the window to their spark chamber and your spark is considered as a private part you only expose to your sparkmate or doctor. NEVER to the public. Even in gyms or school locker rooms that have showers and you can wash fully, they are in the form of stalls with curtains. As for swimwear, everyone wears those bathing suits that cover you on top too.
3- Being a slob. - Believe it or not, on Cybertron being a slob in public is considered as indecent exposure because the way you look and smells disturbs the people around you. Keep in mind that in their world, there are public fast showers where you can clean off your armor. If you go out filthy, the police will escort you to the nearest publish washroom to clean up and if you resist, you will get escorted back home with a fine. And it also extends to your property. If you live in a rental and let it go, the landlord can sue you for destruction of property and kick you out unless you agree to clean it.
4- Disrespecting your elders. - In Cybertronian culture, respecting your elders is a very normalized thing. So much so that when addressing an elderly both, it good etiquette to call them "elder" or if a femme, "auntie". They also take elder abuse as seriously as child abuse on their planet. Making fun of the elderly or deeming their knowledge as outdated all the time is a good way to lose social standing among Transformers. Yes, some specific people are not worthy of respect of any age and no one is asking you to keep a toxic or abusive elderly parent in your life, but the contrast between how the elderly are painted to how they are on most of Earth is like night and day. I mean, unlike Earth sitcoms who normally paint the elderly in-laws as monsters or nuisances, Cybertronian sitcoms portray them as sages and guardian angels to call upon for help or advice. Plus, Grandparents' Day is an important holiday to them.
5- Ignoring a lost or stray cat or dog. - On Cybertron, pets have the same rights as small children and are valued as such. If you see a dog or cat wandering the streets alone, it is consiered as your civic duty to call it in and keep an eye of the creature for as long as you can while keeping a safe distance. This system has helped find 80% of lost animals and home 75% more. Because of this, finding a stray cat or dog is much more rare. Ignoring a lost or stray companion animal is considered very disgraceful among Transformers.
6- Dressing up as the Prime or Trion. - While's it's all good clean fun on Earth, you have to understand that on Cybertron, these individuals are sacred figures. Reducing their appearance to a costume is considered as mocking them. You can get in trouble for defamation and in some case, critical impersonation. The only time you get a free pass is during Halloween and ONLY small children get to do it.
7- Bringing your child to fine dining establishment or event. - While it is the norm to do this on Earth, on Cybertron, the fine dining level has an age code as well as a dres and many events are understood as being childfree. Not because they don't like kids, but because some places are not for them and honestly, THEY don't really want to be there. A fine dining establishment is for business meals, adult time and to go on romantic dates. It is common sense to not bring your kid to an event either unless the invite states children are allowed. There are so many places you bring your kids, but fine dining and banquets are not places they want to go to anyway. After all, kids are people not accessories.
8- Leaving your pet home alone for long hours. - On Cybertron, this is considered as an act of abuse because leaving your pet alone for long hours isn't just cold, it's dangerous. Animals are just as capable of having accidents as children are and if there's a fire or break in, the poor pet is completely helpless. By law, you have to leave your pet with a pet-nanny or at a daycare during your work hours.
9- Online shopping. - As advanced and tech loving Transformers are, it is considered socially as lazy and something only bums do to do all your shopping online. To them, going in person to shop is an experience and a joy. The only time where relying on online shopping is acceptable is if you're disabled, you're sick, you're pregnant or on maternity leave, or it is an emergency. Even elderly bots who are obsolete (too old transform) shop in person. And yes, this extends to ordering take out. Unless it is pizza, it is more socially "polite" to pick it up yourself or eat at the establishment.
10- Shopping in your pajamas and casual wear. - While you're free to even go as far as walking around in your underwear at home, on Cybertron, people will dress up nice to even go to the grocery store. When it comes to the mall, they REALLY dress up there because in their culture, the mall isn't just a place to expand your wardrobe folder, it's a place the young and hip go to hang out, for people to mingle and even meet. You will even find an indoor park or garden in a small shopping mall strip. It's also not uncommon for malls to be a place where concerts, fashions and more. They are recognized as precious social establishments are treated as such which extends to the dress code.
11- Seeing the groom before the wedding. - On Cybertron, it is considered as just as much bad luck for the bride to see the groom in his attire before the wedding as it is for him to see hers. This is because Transformer bridge grooms wear wedding armor and it's considered ceremonial as well as personal, so seeing him in it only on the big day is a must.
12- Mocking celebrities or prying into their private lives. - While on Earth, roasting celebrities is a regular thing, on Cybertron, ony comedians have the right to roast and make jokes about people because it is consented and we know for sure that it is not done as an act of unkindness. However, mocking a person you don't know online without their consent or knowledge is considered as defamation. Same goes with their privacy. Posting things about their private lives without their consent can land you in jail and destroy your journaling career for life. In short, on Cybertron, your life is not a show and you are not society's toy just because you're a star. You're still a person and are respected as one.
13- Kids with iPads and social media. - A surprisingly strict one. On Cybertron is actually against the law for a child to own a tablet, be given one or even have social media. Transformer consider the tablet and computer as adult tools that children are too young to handle on their own. The TV and video games are the exception because their access to things are limited.
14- Wearing black at a wedding or Christening. - While on Earth, you can't go wrong with a black tuxedo or a cute little black dress, it is a huge no-no to wear black at a wedding or Christening. This is because these events are centered around life and birth. On Cybertron, black is a colour associated with threats, death and bad luck.
15- Visiting someone empty handed. - While on Earth, it's fine to visit someone empty handed especially if you see them frequently, in Transformers culture, when you come to someone's house, you always come with a small something. If anything, the fact that it's someone you know, see often and are close with just makes coming to their home empty handed. Doing this will get you labelled as a the mooch.
16- Being a bum. - While technically, it's not good to be a lazy bum on any planet, on Cybertron, it's even worse. You become the butt of every joke, everyone least favourite person, the obligation relative and society openly shames you constantly. This is because sloth is an especially huge sin in Transformer society. Their gift of being able to transform is proof is that it is the will of Primus for us to see the world, learn from it and be a part of it. Even in Cybertronian sitcoms, bums are especially made into the clowns and losers of every show.
17- Generative AI. - I don't think I need to explain this one. On Cybertron, generative AIs are banned and outlawed. The only legalized AIs that exist are smart computers with a level of sentience to help assist in your work not do everything for you. In fact, they have a strict built in program that keeps them from doing that. Art, planning, coding and of course your homework MUST be done by you.
18- Bringing religion into the media. - This is not to say their media has no religious themes, but the law explicitly states that you cannot make media or art depicting religious figures beyond angels or demons on Cybertron. This is because the risk of crossing the line is too great since in their culture, religion is in their government, so the entertainment industry would rather not face any kind of controversy or backlash. They leave it to the Trion and their clerics to handle faith. Humanity is a bit more loose when it comes to this to an extent, but on Cybertron, it's a hard no and pass.
19- Growing out hair and facial hair. - On Cybertron, the beauty standard is to look as mechanical as possible which extends to keeping your head shaven even if you are a female. Showing your hair, growing it out or sporting facial hair is considered as a big no-no. Only the clergy was allowed to grow out their hair because it was an act of modesty. Or rather, traditionally it is, but now, ever since going to Earth, their perspective and thoughts on hair have changed. The after war era sparked the Hair Positivity movement of which Hotrod's generation is neutral if not proud of hair now which is causing a bit of a social conflict with those who still believe hair should be shaven and covered.
@sassycandypoetry @blade-liger-4ever @gelu-babosa-multiversal @pro-birth
