X-Message-Number: 12511
From: "john grigg" <>
Subject: My thoughts on Charles Platt's comments...
Date: Wed, 06 Oct 1999 12:26:29 PDT

Hello everyone,

I was quite surprised by what Charles Platt said about the cryonicists he 
has known!  So some cryonics groups are actually worse then hardcore militia 
groups!  And even Mensa!!  lol :)  On the extropian digest awhile back the 
makeup of a typical Mensa group was discussed.

I am concerned that the enlightened and socially well-adjusted people of the 
future will decide that those in cryonic suspension are just not worth 
bringing back because they make for such bad company!!  Because I would 
think the inhabitants of the future would be fair about things they may 
brain scan every suspended person to see if they would be worth bringing 
back!  That may be reason enough for us to try to develop social graces and 
also become well-rounded human beings.

I admit I am one those guys who loves to hang out in comic book/game stores 
and spend hours looking at the wares.  I played role-playing games in 
highschool!  I recently saw an episode of the MTV animated series "Downtown" 
(about genXer's) where a guy is shown loving his visits to the local comics 
shop and a big Con but at the same time wants to "grow up" and not be seen 
as nerdy.  He meets a girl who he wants to impress and grow up for.  It was 
a good episode.

There is the saying by Groucho Marx that goes "I would never want to belong 
to a club that would have me!"  Perhaps if cryonics organizations took this 
attitude and also projected an image of sophisticated elitism the public 
might clamor to join!  But of course not everyone would be allowed in...  I 
have images in my mind of a victorian era men's club or a modern-day country 
club.  We could all sit around drinking scotch and smoking cigars or in my 
case drinking sprite and using a bubble pipe!  Now you guys would let me in 
the club??  Wouldn't you?  Guys??

Sincerely,

John Grigg

Charles Platt wrote:
>As a journalist I have visited many
>subcultures, from Mensa to hardcore militia movements; and I have >found
>more socially dysfunctional, pig-headed, and sometimes downright
>sociopathic misfits in cryonics than anywhere else. Of course, this >is
>part of their charm, and provides endless material for good >anecdotes. But
>there is a serious side effect. Several years ago I discovered that >it was
>pointless to hold meetings to recruit new members of the Alcor >chapter of
>New York, because some of the long-term existing members were so >_odd,_
>they scared off more-normal newcomers.

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