Sterling: Ascendancies
Summary: Ascendancies by Sterling . (Stub — expand from highlights.)
Sources: quotes_batch_24.md
Source pages: Quotes batch 24
Quote pages: Sterling – Ascendancies
Last updated: 2026-05-07
Quotes
Concept
“The concept of ‘Ascendancy’ is the inevitable rise of the technological elite over the biologically stagnant masses.” (p. 12)
Behavior
“Post-human behavior is so far removed from our own that we perceive it as either godlike or insane.” (p. 89)
Game Theory
“In the Shaper-Mechanist war, the game is played between those who want to edit the software of life and those who want to replace the hardware.” (p. 142)
Cognition
“Cognitive modification is the primary tool of the Shapers, who treat the mind as a set of adjustable parameters.” (p. 210)
Memory
“Memory is a commodity that can be traded, sold, or overwritten to suit the needs of the current faction.” (p. 315)