How to tell if you are in a Culture novel

1. Your name has sixteen syllables
2.  Your lifespan is easily 350 standard years (in fact death is more of an inconvenience)
3. You may have changed genders once or twice
4. Recreational drugs are optional. The real hard stuff, well, that your own glands can synthesize
5. You really, really, want something exciting to happen. So you signed up for Contact.

Based on / triggered by this.