The comment on taking patients' augmentations in lieu of cash payment got me thinking also.
Cybernetics then aren't just a way of controlling people, they're making people into having accessible asset value.
Can you imagine being late for an edu-loan payment then some scavvers decide to 'repo' your brain implants...
There's something that's actually covered in game, it just isn't there in big bold letters, but anyway. People need to get cybernetic enhancements to be able to do certain jobs. Unlike our natural limbs that heal, I mean fractured bone heals, cybernetic replacements require maintenance or replacement. Ripperdocs services are important for far more larger population than just mercenaries. There's couple of NPC's outside of one Ripper doc clinic at Santo Domingo, South East Arroyo, V can listen to their conversation and then there's more elsewhere.
There's one NCPD mission, West Brook, North Oaks I think. There's a factory and if you peek inside, there are people went through full body conversion to do a job and it's worth paying attention to all data shards, what they say, what the scenario is there and you can think, what options those workers have... holy heck.
So topic, which character do you dislike most? Why Scavs exists? Other gangs, people like Fingers, citizens you can watch and notice their crap tier cyberware as they walk to whatever destinations even in the City Center, corporate fascism ala Arasaka and alternative is the same thing under the brand of Militech. Worst thing about it is how all that makes economical sense in grim dark way. It's not fantasy thing with something "evil" thrown somewhere for protagonist to do something. There's collapsing social fiber resulting even worse, loss of social capital, and Arasaka/Militech presenting horseshoe theory in that kind of world.
I hate Night City, yet love it for how it enables questions. Do we want this future?
