Carbon | Altered

Small, disk-like devices implanted at the base of the skull at birth that record a person's DHF (Digital Human Freight), including their personality and memories.

Named after the biblical Methuselah, these are the ultra-wealthy who live for centuries in designer clones, dwelling in mansions above the clouds and often becoming "corrupted by power and greed". Deep Philosophical and Ethical Themes Altered Carbon

The protagonist, Takeshi Kovacs, embodies a "Stoic lesson" taught by his mentor, Quellcrist Falconer: that true strength comes from mastering one's own "despair" and internal "monstrosity" rather than relying on external technology. Small, disk-like devices implanted at the base of

In this future, human life is treated as something that can be "bought and sold," further widening the gap between the immortal rich and the struggling poor. In this future, human life is treated as

The narrative serves as a "cautionary tale" about the intersection of technology and humanity:

Groups like Neo-Catholics believe that "religious coding"—a software tag preventing resleeving—is necessary because they view artificial immortality as an affront to God.