The Sprawl was a long strange way home over the Pacific now, and he was no console man, no cyberspace cowboy. Just another hustler, trying to make it through. (1.17)

Case's inability to be console cowboy seems to change how he views himself. He thought of himself as unstoppable as a console cowboy until they, you know, stopped him. Now, he's a hustler, and he holds no value in what he is anymore.