It was in the year 2012. After along six year war that started in China spread to the Middle East, then to Africa and then to Europe and ultimately to North America.
Miraculously, South America and the Isles in the Caribbean and Oceania had remained untouched, it was a war initially caused by local food shortages brought about by floods, then acute energy shortages and epidemics of various new diseases and mass movements of peoples causing social disruptions (poverty, unemployment, crime) previously unanticipated by all the international experts.
It was a war of psychological warfare and propaganda pitting one group against the other. Ultimately, a fracture occurred as well between the males and females of this new society. Some of the more traditional female values of mothering and nurturing were seen as weaknesses and were replaced by values such as boldness, provocation and exerting power, especially over the more lowly males.
Formal schooling of males was now strictly limited to Grade 4 and their vocabulary was limited to about 200 basic words and reading skills were discouraged for males because it was considered unnecessary given the tasks they had to perform and availability of all the necessary technology to issue orders in a sexy or stern female voice. Efforts were made daily to reduce their vocabulary further.
Training for various basic menial tasks (i.e.; pulling wires, installing toilets, installing rivets and restraints, pouring cement welding, painting, dishwashing and laundry.etc). were offered to males. The more intellectual skills such as sales and sales support, accounting and incentives, negotiations and mind-fucking, advertising and indoctrination, basic brainwashing and mind- control skills were all female preserves and actively taught as of grade7. Males were not allowed to make any phone calls but were permitted to answer the phone.