X-Message-Number: 10862 Date: Wed, 02 Dec 1998 11:48:43 +0100 From: (John de Rivaz) Subject: SCI.CRYONICS Re: Trusts - "Time is Money" vs "Unlimited Time" In article: <> "Oro Viejo" <>writes: > I read the Trust discussions with (compound) interest (pun intended)! I, > too, am working towards the same goals. I want to be able to justify and > to pay for the cost of my reanimation. People who want cryonics want to be in control. If they didn't want to be in control, they's chose burning or rotting and allow god (and the circumstances of the universe which determine whether the god-concept has any reality) to be in control. If they are reanimated with no money of their own they will no longer in in control. Therefore there is a need not just to pay for reanimation, but to have some capital to live off. I am certain also that no cryonicist would want to remain retired for all eternity. However they will want to work at what they chose, not what some employer choses for them at a time the employer choses and in a place the employer choses, or under the pressure that if they don't succeed they will be in financial trouble. I am not saying that they'd rather die than be reanimated with no money, but given that compound interest makes it relatively easy to produce enough money if the lawyers leave it alone, it seems silly not to. > > BUT .. > > Historically, it seems the concept of "money" is derived from the real > need to create a "medium of exchange" for our "time" (in labor)...the only > irreplaceable commodity (to date). A society where lifespan is indefinite would eventually produce a totally uncontrollable populace. Of course this may not matter - the society may have cohesion with everyone doing their own thing. But if there are politicians, lawyers and similar people wanting to control others still around, then won't like an uncontrollable population. The resoning behind my statement is that if people can live for ever, however small their wages they should be able to save something. Even a cent a year saved into compound interest account would provide a fortune sufficient to live off without employment given enough time. There is always enough out of infinity. Also, in a society of immortals there would be few births. Therefore there would be very few people who could not chose what they do. Therefore unpopular jobs would be unfilled. It is possible, then, in such a society any form of interest or dividend on saved money would be illegal. Of course gambling and stock markets would have to go, and this will slam the brakes on further progress, but given that immortality exists there could be few goals left for entrapreneurs anyway unless you inclde exploration of art science the universe and the meaning of life. Fortunately true immortality (ie with invulnerability) will come well after cryonics revivals, if it ever comes. So those trusts are worthwhile. -- Sincerely, * Longevity Report: http://www.longevb.demon.co.uk/lr.htm John de Rivaz * Fractal Report: http://www.longevb.demon.co.uk/fr.htm **************** Homepage:http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JohndeR In the information age, sharing can increase world wealth enormously, because giving information does not decrease your information. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=10862