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There were well over 200 billion uploaded minds in the Virtuality, most of them are many centuries old. The Virtuality absolutely dominated the Earth Union, which effectively existed to construct, maintain and power millions of data centres. There were a few virtual environments - known as the "Shores" - that were deliberately designed for living "visitors". However, the vast bulk lay beyond, its internal politics and social structures incomprehensible to outsiders.
Over the centuries, Earth's non-virtual society ossified into a rigid caste-system. Interpret Traveller social status as follows:
2-3 Underclass (%age increased for interest's sake)
4-6 Peon
7-A Commoner
B-D Favoured "gentle hom/fem" (%age increased for interest's sake)
E+ Elite "the honourable", "sir/ma'am"(0.1% of the population, 30m)
These few stood at the apex of the caste system. The descendents of the ancient nobility and super rich. The elite are the only members of society who could collectively stand against the wishes of the uploads.
The elite can usually be identified by their entourage of retainers. They normally wear their household crest, as do their servants. All elite are referred to as "the honourable", and addressed as 'sir' or 'maam', and eye contact should be avoided. Failure to observe these customs may result in a beating delivered by the noble's followers. Such beatings are not strictly legal, but they are widely accepted as normal. Few police forces will take action against the perpetrators.
(1% of the population, 300m)
Earth's rich and famous. These are wealthy industrialists, media stars, politicians and academics. A majority of these people are descended from "white" Europeans - their caste's insularity has prevented them from participating in the intermixing that has bred out most region-specific phenotypes over the last centuries.
The wealthiest favoured can afford servants of their own, although none will affect the ostentatious entourages of the elite. They are address to as "gentle fem" or "gentle hom".
(60% of the population, 18b)
Below the favoured ones are the 'commoners'; Earth's well educated professional caste. Today, commoners form the majority of Earth's population. They have well paid jobs and live in large comfortable homes.
Offworlders find Commoners the most approachable Earthers. They have a sophisticated urban outlook. Only their attitudes to other castes surprises visitors. Naturally they show the proper deference to their Favoured masters, but their disdain for the lower castes can be quite shocking. It is considered quite acceptable to beat a lazy or disrespectful servant.
Commoners no longer show much of their racial heritage. Everyone looks much like 20th Century mixed-race Brazilians.
Commoners typically uploaded when they died.
(35% of the population, 10b)
Historically, the peons were manual labourers who worked in factories or on the land, and who owned little or no property. Today, peons are servants, drivers, gardeners and so on. Most policemen and the bulk of the armed forces are also from the peon caste. About 35% of Earthers are peons. Surprisingly, most peons are not unhappy with their low status. They work hard and strive to improve their lot, or at least that of their children.
Peons tend to be less racially mixed than commoners. They move around less, and retain more of the features that are geographically associated with their birthplace. As a result, racism is still not unknown amongst them.
Peons are usually addressed by just their family name. E.g. Wilkins, Yuen, Skinner.
(4% of the population, 1b)
The underclass form the remaining 4% of Earth's population. They are the dispossessed who have no place in society. Originally, the underclass were mostly of east Asian descent. They performed only the most menial of jobs, if any at all.
Today the underclass remains a vast underprivileged population. Those who stay on Earth prosper through art and performance, or make a living as prostitutes or criminals. Many leave Earth for a life of asteroid mining or as free traders, or for life in the colonies.
Surprisingly, the underclass have a monopoly on computer programming. Earth's other castes consider programming to be an unsavoury occupation, because uploads are generally so much better at it, and so the underclass has made it their own. The best programmers in human space are trained in Earth's Virtual University Of Software Engineering.
The Wheel of Life religion originated in the Earth underclass over 500 years ago. It still claims adherents even today. The religion emphasises good works and has little to do with the spirit world.