X-Message-Number: 13926
From: "Dani Kollin" <>
Subject: FW: Drugs and Immortality
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 14:43:27 +0200

Re: the recently posted email below, my brother had a quite a fascinting
response to it. I have re-posted the initial email and then my brother's
response.

Dani Kollin

sage #13907
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 19:55:3 +0000
From: Leon Dean <>
Subject: drugs
In New Scientist recently there was an article about developing vaccines for
the addictive
nature of drugs such as heroin and maybe even nicotine. What this article
got me thinking
about however is the nature of drug use and how this could change with
immortality.
If we ever reach the holy grail of cryonics and humanity becomes immortal
what would be
the drawbacks of taking drugs? If smoking, alcohol and the hard drugs caused
no side
effects then why not do them? Current users would surely increase
consumption. Could
immortality create a world of drug-fuelled morons?

Dani,
You have to take the concept to its full extreme.  The technology that can
awaken and repair the damage done to millions of neurons and grant
immortality
will not need to take something and primitive as chemical drugs. They will
be
viewed with the same sense of, oh how cute they were in those days, that we
get when we see a wooden top and wonder how children actually played with
the
thing for hours. The truth is that they will be able to send impulses to the
brain replicating every sensation they desire. From heroin to sex to eating
choclate it will be there with the push of a button and gone just as quickly
with no physical side effects because physically it was never there.

However the full effects will indeed be social.  When a society can take
any,
"sensation", it desires virtually,(double meaning fully intended), and at
will
the effects will be most interesting.  I can only say that as of now I would
prefer to be a part of that process then dead. We will have to wait and see.

                                 Later,
                                          Eytan

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