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Schismatrix

 Schismatrix
type
TVTItem
 Schismatrix
label
Schismatrix
 Schismatrix
page
Schismatrix
 Schismatrix
comment
Bruce Sterling's Schismatrix is to Neuromancer what Gormenghast is to The Lord of the Rings, at least as far as its place in the Cyberpunk canon is concerned.In the 23rd Century, Abelard Lindsay is about to kill himself in the name of humanity.There are two major superpowers in the solar system — the Shapers, who use genetic engineering, psychology and conditioning techniques to improve human potential, and the Mechanists, who believe in cybernetics.Lindsay's family, aristocrats in the Mare Serenitatus Circumlunar Corporate Republic, one of the crumbling space colonies orbiting the moon, sent him to the Shapers for diplomat training, along with his lower-class friend Constantine, who was trained in genetic engineering.When he came back he found that the Mechanists were on top. Being a political liability, his family placed him under house arrest and married him off to a mechanist 50 years his senior. Lindsay, Constantine, and Lindsay's lover Vera had decided to stage a coup in the name of the eternal human verities, the latter two choosing to kill themselves to make a point.Of course it doesn't go quite right. While Vera kills herself, Lindsay's family interferes in his own suicide attempt, only for his uncle to fall victim to a booby-trap Constantine had placed on Vera's body, in case Lindsay chickened out.In the ensuing scandal, Lindsay is exiled to a decaying colony, the Mare Tranquillitatus People's Circumlunar Zaibatsu, which recognises a single human right: The right to death.Lindsay politely declines, and decides to be a Manipulative Bastard instead.The story that follows can only be described as "epic".
 Schismatrix
fetched
2023-11-08T01:29:52Z
 Schismatrix
parsed
2023-11-08T01:29:52Z
 Schismatrix
processingComment
Dropped link to AlienArtsAreAppreciated: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Schismatrix
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Schismatrix / int_177a6464
type
Genre Shift
 Schismatrix / int_177a6464
comment
Genre Shift - the earlier short stories portray a World Half Empty focused on alien horror, but Twenty Evocations is more about weirdness and future shock. Schismatrix itself is set in a World Half Full with a good dose of comedy.
 Schismatrix / int_177a6464
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Schismatrix / int_177a6464
 Schismatrix / int_19944e8f
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Terraform
 Schismatrix / int_19944e8f
comment
Terraform - the eventual goal of the Posthumanist clique is terraforming Mars
 Schismatrix / int_19944e8f
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Schismatrix / int_19944e8f
 Schismatrix / int_1e580ede
type
Fan of the Past
 Schismatrix / int_1e580ede
comment
Fan of the Past - Lindsay, to begin with, along with the Preservationist faction he had a hand in founding.
 Schismatrix / int_1e580ede
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Schismatrix / int_1e580ede
 Schismatrix / int_1ee0948e
type
Artificial Human
 Schismatrix / int_1ee0948e
comment
Artificial Human - Shaper "Antibiotics", Kitsune and her children
 Schismatrix / int_1ee0948e
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Schismatrix / int_1ee0948e
 Schismatrix / int_234fa9ba
type
May–December Romance
 Schismatrix / int_234fa9ba
comment
May–December Romance - Lindsay and his first wife, Alexandrina Tyler, who is fifty years older than he is.
 Schismatrix / int_234fa9ba
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Schismatrix / int_234fa9ba
 Schismatrix / int_268dbcfc
type
Good Is Old-Fashioned
 Schismatrix / int_268dbcfc
comment
Good Is Old-Fashioned - Inverted, utterly. For all that he starts the story as a Fan of the Past, Lindsay spends the entire story adapting himself to the changing situation. Antagonist Constantine on the other hand sticks to his preferred habits.
 Schismatrix / int_268dbcfc
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Schismatrix / int_268dbcfc
 Schismatrix / int_2f36d97
type
Older Than They Look
 Schismatrix / int_2f36d97
comment
Older Than They Look - Due to advanced genetic engineering technology, anyone with a little money is essentially immortal, so there is no relation whatsoever between looks and actual age.
 Schismatrix / int_2f36d97
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Schismatrix / int_2f36d97
 Schismatrix / int_31c5e7fb
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Starfish Aliens
 Schismatrix / int_31c5e7fb
comment
Starfish Aliens - The Gasbags, one of whom kills itself when it sees a solar flare that is somehow blasphemous in shape.
 Schismatrix / int_31c5e7fb
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Schismatrix / int_31c5e7fb
 Schismatrix / int_3318a1cb
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Distant Finale
 Schismatrix / int_3318a1cb
comment
Distant Finale - the short story Sunken Gardens, though it was written before Schismatrix itself.
 Schismatrix / int_3318a1cb
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Schismatrix / int_3318a1cb
 Schismatrix / int_3c5ae1a1
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Schizo Tech
 Schismatrix / int_3c5ae1a1
comment
Schizo Tech - the Mavrides' clan live inside an asteroid full of Organic Technology, but sew their plastic space suits by hand. and defend themselves from pirates with slingshots, flails and candles.
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Schismatrix / int_3c5ae1a1
 Schismatrix / int_3e417694
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AlienGeometry
 Schismatrix / int_3e417694
comment
Alien Geometry - Implied to be one of the horrors in the Arena. Though it doesn't help that at the time, the narrator's mind was completely destroyed by drugs.
 Schismatrix / int_3e417694
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Schismatrix / int_3e417694
 Schismatrix / int_40c57041
type
Manipulative Bastard
 Schismatrix / int_40c57041
comment
Manipulative Bastard - Abelard Lindsay and the other Shaper-trained diplomats. Lindsay's rival Constantine is this as well in spite of being untrained.
 Schismatrix / int_40c57041
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Schismatrix / int_40c57041
 Schismatrix / int_457655dd
type
Human Popsicle
 Schismatrix / int_457655dd
comment
Human Popsicle - those targeted by Cataclyst ice assassins.
 Schismatrix / int_457655dd
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Schismatrix / int_457655dd
 Schismatrix / int_4612ec70
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No Transhumanism Allowed
 Schismatrix / int_4612ec70
comment
No Transhumanism Allowed - The Neotenic Cultural Republic, which exiles all its citizens when they reach the age of 60, though the residents don't mind as they see it as just a temporary phase in their centuries long lifespan once outside the colony. In the rest of the book, this is throughly averted, as people do anything and everything imaginable to their bodies, to the point where many are not even recognizably human anymore.
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Schismatrix / int_4612ec70
 Schismatrix / int_49d18492
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Scenery Gorn
 Schismatrix / int_49d18492
comment
Scenery Gorn - The Mare Tranquillatus People's Circumlunar Zaibatsu
 Schismatrix / int_49d18492
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Schismatrix / int_49d18492
 Schismatrix / int_4b17763f
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Technology Marches On
 Schismatrix / int_4b17763f
comment
Technology Marches On - cassette tapes are ubiquitous
 Schismatrix / int_4b17763f
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Schismatrix / int_4b17763f
 Schismatrix / int_533bc7ae
type
Cybernetics Eat Your Soul
 Schismatrix / int_533bc7ae
comment
Cybernetics Eat Your Soul - alluded to by some Shapers, but averted, particularly with the Mech journalist, playwright and later, Wirehead Fyodor Ryuumin. Subverted with Spider Rose and the Zen Serotonin clade, who dampen their emotions deliberately with drugs.
 Schismatrix / int_533bc7ae
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Schismatrix / int_533bc7ae
 Schismatrix / int_5874eb12
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Organic Technology
 Schismatrix / int_5874eb12
comment
Organic Technology - the Shapers, to a degree
 Schismatrix / int_5874eb12
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Schismatrix / int_5874eb12
 Schismatrix / int_5db59a03
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Brown Note
 Schismatrix / int_5db59a03
comment
Brown Note - The literature on the [untranslatable].
 Schismatrix / int_5db59a03
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Schismatrix / int_5db59a03
 Schismatrix / int_5fcb9ad1
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Time Skip
 Schismatrix / int_5fcb9ad1
comment
Time Skip - The first four chapters take place near continuously. However, the rest of the book time skips like crazy. By the end of the book, at least 171 years have gone by.
 Schismatrix / int_5fcb9ad1
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Schismatrix / int_5fcb9ad1
 Schismatrix / int_67f26dcc
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Planet of Hats
 Schismatrix / int_67f26dcc
comment
Planet of Hats - though we never get to see their homeworld, the Investors as a species care for nothing but a good deal.
 Schismatrix / int_67f26dcc
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Schismatrix / int_67f26dcc
 Schismatrix / int_809bcc37
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Exotic Equipment
 Schismatrix / int_809bcc37
comment
Exotic Equipment - Kitsune eventually grows into a space station. With unusual furniture.
 Schismatrix / int_809bcc37
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Schismatrix / int_809bcc37
 Schismatrix / int_8774fb47
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Eldritch Abomination
 Schismatrix / int_8774fb47
comment
Eldritch Abomination - in the final section of the novel, more or less completely inverted with the Presence, which turns out to be a bit happy-go-lucky.
 Schismatrix / int_8774fb47
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Schismatrix / int_8774fb47
 Schismatrix / int_87f13be4
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Designer Babies
 Schismatrix / int_87f13be4
comment
Designer Babies - the Shapers
 Schismatrix / int_87f13be4
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Schismatrix / int_87f13be4
 Schismatrix / int_88f45711
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Space Amish
 Schismatrix / int_88f45711
comment
Space Amish - Deconstructed in Earth's civilisation, which chose stability over development. It appears only once, from a distance, and is portrayed as an utter Crapsack World. Subverted with the Investors, who are equally stable due to being interested only in profit, and nevertheless have FTL and the best technology they can buy. Also subverted by the Swarm, who chose to maintain stability by turning into a mostly non-sentient space-borne Hive Mind.
 Schismatrix / int_88f45711
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Schismatrix / int_88f45711
 Schismatrix / int_90965cc7
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Hive Mind
 Schismatrix / int_90965cc7
comment
Subverted with the Investors, who are equally stable due to being interested only in profit, and nevertheless have FTL and the best technology they can buy. Also subverted by the Swarm, who chose to maintain stability by turning into a mostly non-sentient space-borne Hive Mind.
 Schismatrix / int_90965cc7
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Schismatrix / int_90965cc7
 Schismatrix / int_927ccbc4
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Accidental Art
 Schismatrix / int_927ccbc4
comment
Accidental Art - the fate of Esair XII when the Investors arrive.
 Schismatrix / int_927ccbc4
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Schismatrix / int_927ccbc4
 Schismatrix / int_97346240
type
We Will Not Use Photoshop in the Future
 Schismatrix / int_97346240
comment
We Will Not Use Photoshop in the Future - averted. Real-time videophones automatically clean up whoever's at the other end.
 Schismatrix / int_97346240
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Schismatrix / int_97346240
 Schismatrix / int_98a63dc6
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Time Abyss
 Schismatrix / int_98a63dc6
comment
Time Abyss - the Investors, and to a lesser extent all the characters, who indulge in life-extension techniques. Simon Afriel's conversation with the Swarm.
 Schismatrix / int_98a63dc6
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Schismatrix / int_98a63dc6
 Schismatrix / int_99c49c21
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Villains Blend in Better
 Schismatrix / int_99c49c21
comment
Villains Blend in Better - Inverted. Taking on local colour is one thing that Lindsay is extremely good at.
 Schismatrix / int_99c49c21
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Schismatrix / int_99c49c21
 Schismatrix / int_abad35b4
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Soundtrack Dissonance
 Schismatrix / int_abad35b4
comment
Soundtrack Dissonance - "...that most ancient of Japanese instruments, the synthesizer."
 Schismatrix / int_abad35b4
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Schismatrix / int_abad35b4
 Schismatrix / int_ac0f4761
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Future Imperfect
 Schismatrix / int_ac0f4761
comment
Future Imperfect - Characters live long enough to see this happen to their own life.
 Schismatrix / int_ac0f4761
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Schismatrix / int_ac0f4761
 Schismatrix / int_b116ac06
type
Weapon of Mass Destruction
 Schismatrix / int_b116ac06
comment
Weapon of Mass Destruction - Due to the fragility of space colonies, most weapons are treated this way.
 Schismatrix / int_b116ac06
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Schismatrix / int_b116ac06
 Schismatrix / int_b1dcd2ee
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Flesh Versus Steel
 Schismatrix / int_b1dcd2ee
comment
Flesh Versus Steel - the Shapers vs the Mechanists.
 Schismatrix / int_b1dcd2ee
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Schismatrix / int_b1dcd2ee
 Schismatrix / int_b3de39a6
type
SexBot
 Schismatrix / int_b3de39a6
comment
Sex Bot - subverted with Kitsune, a human Sex Bot created by the Shapers. Having what amounts to an extra pleasure centre where her womb should be causes all of her emotions to be overshadowed by lust, but rather than turning her into "a blank-eyed erotic animal", it resulted in an utterly pragmatic genius.
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Schismatrix / int_b3de39a6
 Schismatrix / int_bb40e7e0
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Failed Future Forecast
 Schismatrix / int_bb40e7e0
comment
Failed Future Forecast - The Red Consensus is mentioned to have been owned by the USSR
 Schismatrix / int_bb40e7e0
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Schismatrix / int_bb40e7e0
 Schismatrix / int_c27c7e07
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The Neutral Zone
 Schismatrix / int_c27c7e07
comment
The Neutral Zone - inside the People's Circumlunar Zaibatsu, setting foot in the demilitarised zone leads to instant death
 Schismatrix / int_c27c7e07
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Schismatrix / int_c27c7e07
 Schismatrix / int_c75df49a
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Shout-Out
 Schismatrix / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out - mostly internal. Characters from the short stories tend to appear all over the main novel.
 Schismatrix / int_c75df49a
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Schismatrix / int_c75df49a
 Schismatrix / int_d0b95b85
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Used Future
 Schismatrix / int_d0b95b85
comment
Used Future - though not the case everywhere in the solar system, the Lunar Concatenate is in a pretty bad way, and the Red Consensus makes the Millennium Falcon look like something built by The Culture.
 Schismatrix / int_d0b95b85
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Schismatrix / int_d0b95b85
 Schismatrix / int_d8b3412b
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The Singularity
 Schismatrix / int_d8b3412b
comment
The Singularity - implied to happen to most species that don't kill themselves off
 Schismatrix / int_d8b3412b
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Schismatrix / int_d8b3412b
 Schismatrix / int_daef39ee
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Elaborate Underground Base
 Schismatrix / int_daef39ee
comment
Elaborate Underground Base - not entirely true, but the Mavrides Family asteroid bears most of the hallmarks.
 Schismatrix / int_daef39ee
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Schismatrix / int_daef39ee
 Schismatrix / int_e0d133d0
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Insufficiently Advanced Alien
 Schismatrix / int_e0d133d0
comment
Insufficiently Advanced Alien - the Investors are implied to have bought or stolen all of their starships
 Schismatrix / int_e0d133d0
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Schismatrix / int_e0d133d0
 Schismatrix / int_e28f88b8
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Last-Name Basis
 Schismatrix / int_e28f88b8
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Last-Name Basis - Lindsay and Constantine in particular.
 Schismatrix / int_e28f88b8
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Schismatrix / int_e28f88b8
 Schismatrix / int_f01a1b71
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Insignificant Little Blue Planet
 Schismatrix / int_f01a1b71
comment
Insignificant Little Blue Planet - By choice. Earth's government blamed science for a massive ecological collapse, and those who escaped into space agreed to stay away.
 Schismatrix / int_f01a1b71
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 Schismatrix / int_f3fac450
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Brain in a Jar
 Schismatrix / int_f3fac450
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Brain in a Jar - the "wireheads", or more politely, "senior Mechanists", apparently one of the more successful forms of life extension
 Schismatrix / int_f3fac450
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ItemName
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Schismatrix

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Schismatrix
hasFeature
Accidental Art / int_b559156
 Schismatrix
hasFeature
Flesh Versus Steel / int_b559156
 Schismatrix
hasFeature
Only Electric Sheep Are Cheap / int_b559156
 Schismatrix
seeAlso
Schismatrix
 Schismatrix
hasFeature
Time Skip / int_b559156
 Schismatrix
hasFeature
Transhumans in Space / int_b559156
 Schismatrix
hasFeature
We Will Not Have Appendixes in the Future / int_b559156