X-Message-Number: 15513
From: "John de Rivaz" <>
References: <>
Subject: Choosing What to Do
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 15:06:35 -0000

> Message #15501
> From: "Jeff Grimes" <>
> Subject: Choosing What to Do
> Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 16:05:27 +0000
>of priorities, especially in life extension. Do you want to enjoy life now
and not
> worry about death, or do you want to work (a bit ahead of your time)
> relentlessly to overcome death, hoping to benefit in the longer term,
> which is a real gamble?

I don't think those are the only choices. Another choice is to pace yourself
and see what you can do that is within your means (personal ability, time
and money availability). Also you need to have a balanced view of life and
death. If you spend your life doing work you cannot really do properly and
hate simply in order to live longer, and end up not living longer, then that
is a sick joke.

Or maybe you think it is a brave attempt.

But I would imagine the vast majority of people would see it as sick and in
fact such behaviour is a very bad advertisement for the subject of cryonics.
"Oh cryonics, that is the cult that makes everyone give up their lives and
money so a few leaders can live in big houses with swimming pools, run a
chauffeur driven stretched limo, and go on six holidays a year first class".
People are very willing to think such things (which could not be further
from the truth, by the way) with very little justification or provocation. A
sniff of someone martyring himself would be ample provocation.

But on the other hand, a large number of people all making a little effort
could achieve a much greater result. As I said those at the top can't help
themselves really. But to say to people you have to throw everything in is
going to dismiss those who may have made a little effort. They will instead
go away and do nothing. That little effort need be no more than discussing
cryonics with friends and relations. Not doing a hard sell, but just seeing
that they are aware of it. It may be years later that the seed planted has
any effect, and those discussing it now will probably never know. Maybe the
recipient will mention it to someone else who does become a leading light in
the movement. But keeping quiet and doing nothing because you think "all or
nothing" is the rule of the day isn't going to help anyone.

That idea - all or nothing - appears several times in Christianity, and it
is not a good legacy to the world. The widow (of mite fame) has to give her
all. Potential followers are told "you are either with me or against me" (ie
do exactly as I say or you are my enemies) . Christianity may have given the
world some good ideas, but these do not number amongst them. But then
nothing can be perfect.

Something *is* better than nothing - that is what cryonics is really all
about: some chance of revival is better than no chance.

--
Sincerely, John de Rivaz
my homepage links to Longevity Report, Fractal Report, music, Inventors'
report, an autobio and various other projects:
http://www.geocities.com/longevityrpt
http://www.autopsychoice.com - should you be able to chose autopsy?

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