X-Message-Number: 14487
From: "George Smith" <>
References: <>
Subject: What's it all for?
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 16:49:19 -0700

In HG Wells novel THE FOOD OF THE GODS,  one character in the story, a giant
adolescent male, wandered around the countryside looking at the numerous
creations of humankind - trains, boats, houses, etc. - and continued to ask
over and over in wonder, "What's it all for?".

In psychiatrist Victor Frankl's conclusions, drawn from personal
observations while in the Nazi death camps,  and summarized in his book
MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING, he suggested that it is in searching for the
answers to that same question ("What's it all for?") that we find the
motivation for not surrendering to death - that all of mankind's
technological achievements actually stem from seeking answers that question.

From time to time, different individuals (certainly not just Paul Wakfer)
have expressed the feeling here that the comments found on the Cryonet go
too far "off topic" with wide ranging discussions regarding the future, the
past and speculations thereof.

Depending on where you draw the line regarding what is "appropriate" to this
forum, they are correct.

Of course, since cryonics is ultimately about survival, it is hard to not
include the wider questions because if we are to survive, it would seem that
addressing the question "What's it all for?" is vital.

I am grateful for those who may be driven to devote their efforts to
cryonics related research perhaps 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (though I
doubt there exist such people).  At the same time, if these same
hypothetical individuals do not balance their efforts toward cryonics
success with seeking and remembering the PURPOSE behind that effort, sooner
or later they may find their lives have gone stale as meaning has vanished.

Speculation, fantasy, and the drive to understand what the future may reveal
to those few of us who have opened the door to potential immortality are
NECESSARY, I believe, to keep that door open.

"Without vision, the people die".

Discussing such issues as ethics, extraterrestial contact, transhumanism,
and potential alternative futures seems to me to be a vital part of WHY
those involved in this great gamble for hyper extended life should bother.

Fear of personal death isn't nearly enough.  If that were true, we would
have six billion devoted members in the cryonics movement working day and
night to make this dream come true as soon as possible.  We don't.

No, I agree with Victor Frankl.  Without searcing (or finding) meaning,
human individaul life itself is insufficient to sustain itself very long.
The abundant proof for this view seems to lie in the cemetaries of the
world.

Satisfying one's curiousity is an important part of this search for meaning,
in my opinion.

Again, the Cryonet may come to be more focussed if the participants choose
to impose a narrowing of the topics discussed, but cryonics, to succeed long
term, seems to me to require the breadth of interest I read here commonly.

Those of you who feel you are wasting time reading what you may consider
"off topic" are not wrong.  I would only suggest that while you may feel
this way today, there may very well come a time when you may not.

In the meantime, please remember  you don't really have to read everything
posted.  You do have the freedom to touch the little down arrow on the
keyboard at any time.

The future is so exciting and so compelling that it sometimes still amazes
me that more people don't find it natural to commit to cryonics and that
more people are not involved in the kind of speculation I read here.

I enjoy it.  It helps lend meaning to life.

Thank you for contributing your thoughts, speculations and ideas.

My best wishes to you all.

George Smith

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=14487