X-Message-Number: 13284
From: Daniel Ust <>
Subject: RE: #13281 Billy Brown
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2000 09:36:53 -0500

On Tue, 22 Feb 2000 12:11:02 -0500 (EST) Charles Platt  wrote:
>Extropian Billy Brown seems to have a very odd, and misleading, view of
>mortality. I'm glad his statement was posted here, since it provides such
>as classic illustration of everything that's wrong with cryonics, and
>helps to explain why there may not be any meaningful cryonics services at
>all, another decade from now.

I _hate_ to admit it, but I agree with Charles here.  Even granting that
nanotechnology could do all that's asked of it, we still have to develop the
stuff as well as make sure whoever is cryopreserved is preserved in a
fashion that allows any recovery.

The typical nanotech happy person sounds almost like the Socialist of old.
The latter did not have answers to how the market would be replaced, how
production would be increased, and how society could function under absolute
control from the top, but she or he did have a boundless and groundless
faith that somehow socialism would work.

And to be honest, though I'm optimistic about cryonics and nanotechnology, I
don't want to test the safety net.:)

>Since ALL cryonics organizations depend
>on donations of money, time, and labor, it is grossly misleading to spread
>the meme that the future is in some sense guaranteed, and all you have to
>do is pay your insurance and membership dues. 

This is why I've been trying to seek support for cryonics in unusual circles
-- trying t spread it to the anti-abortionists is an example.  (I haven't
had much success, but then I don't devote all my free time and disposable
income to this.  I do have other things in my life, you know?  I'm not
claiming that if I did, I would be successful... just being honest.:)

Cheers!

Daniel Ust
http://mars.superlink.net/neptune/

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=13284