X-Message-Number: 13205
From: 
Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2000 11:29:06 EST
Subject: perils of success

Steve Bridge has written about the potential problems if there is a sudden, 
substantial increase in demand for cryonics. Well, the problems would be 
real, but, given my druthers, I would prefer the problems of success to those 
of (relative) failure.

In terms simply of ability to meet the demand--personnel, training, 
facilities, supplies--I don't think the problems would be too frightening. 
With new demand would come new resources, as well as new competitors, and we 
could ramp up capabilities very rapidly, as many companies in other fields 
have done. 

The more serious problem would be that of aroused active opposition, which 
heretofore has been quiescent. The political or ideological front would be 
the real battle. But again, we would have new allies as well as more active 
enemies, and those allies would include powerful people in the funeral 
business, as well as growing numbers in science, medicine, and the clergy, as 
well as the general populace.

We live (and die) in interesting times.

Robert Ettinger
Cryonics Institute
Immortalist Society
http://www.cryonics.org

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