X-Message-Number: 1696 Date: 30 Jan 93 03:10:13 EST From: MICHAEL RISKIN <> Subject: CRYONICS: Reply to Mike Darwin My observation that the cryonet email was becoming more content oriented and less sic' em style oriented was premature. However, the issue of doing background checks on officers, directors , and employees (whether Mike simply meant to be sarcastic or to " get even") is a valid issue. Any organization desiring success, must be very careful in the acquisition of assets and resources, to be sure there are not unknown liabilities or encumbrances. This is especially true when it comes to human "acquistions". Included in normal background checks for sensitive or influential positions are of course validation of all claimed education, licenses, etc. etc., and the taking of psychological, legal, and personal inventories among other "pre-acquisition" endeavors. And this activity continues during the individuals tenure to be sure nothing adverse materializes. Some of you may recall, that at a board meeting, I recommended that all board members be required to take and pass a basic examination relating to Alcor organizational structure including bylaws and resolutions and a representative panel of questions to determine technical competence. This suggestion was essentially laughed off. I still believe it is necessary, along with the background checks referred to earlier. That takes money. The officers and, employees, all paid (or not paid at all) absurdly below market value , are expected to get their compensation from a "job well done for a good cause ego gratification." That is a hopelessly naive expectation. So, we all applaud the underpaid faithful, and pat each other on the back for getting such good performance for so little pay; and we look the other way when the job is not done quite right; and dont fully examine the motives or capability of the job applicant. After all , what right do we have to do this? Doesn't willingness to be underpaid make up for other undesireable qualitities? Shouldn't a "little psychopathy or emotional instability or unsavory(even to radical libertarians) personal habits be overlooked? Of course not. Now, before everyone has a stroke, there are surely many Alcor persons executing their jobs admirably. But the very nature of what it is we are so proud of (cheap help) carries hidden liabilities. I argued several times, at board meetings and in Cryonics for a dues structure sufficient to carry paid personnel at competitive rates. This was also rejected out of hand. One of the board members replied "that is not the way we do things, HERE." Well, you ultimately get what you pay for, the old saw goes. Perhaps that is what Mike Darwin was in part referring to when he hypothesized that the very nature of cryonics brought the slime to the top. In fact , "profit motive" is an important motivation for cryonic organizations other than Alcor. Equity, proprietorship, personal gains are among the motivators and well it should be. After all the ultimate personal gain is immortality... a little extra money doesn't hurt that cause. And in fact, the very persons who said "we dont do it that way at Alcor" (re: generating sufficient revenues for a well paid staff) appear to be significantly profit oriented in their own "immortality" ventures. These very same persons who argued against a reevaluation of Alcor revenue/expense structure are now the victims of their own rigidity and (here comes the dirty word) disguised altruism promoted as good business practice. Fair pay for work performed is the surest way to eliminate politics from decision making. Our own government representatives up to the president are of course underpaid and find their own "compensations". Look what we ended up with in the land of the free and the home of the brave. I have made a crushing mistake in my involvement with cryonics and Alcor in particular. I signed up 10 years ago, and proceeded to passively allow my future to be determined by others. Sure, I read the magazine, talked to my friends, proudly displayed my bracelet. Its not even one year since I became more actively involved.I continued to naively believe that "you" were looking out for me. I slowly became more vocal, volunteered for a few undone necessary jobs, talked to a diverse group of members, got on the "net" in December 92 , had many kb's of old net mail downloaded, and finally last week , received all 700kb of the "politics" thread. My illusion has become disillusionment. Disillusionment is an ugly word for many people as in "the honeymoon is over and disillusionment has set in." And that leads to depression, despair, "acting out", profound sense of loss,panic, withdrawal and self destructive behavior. But not for me. Disillusionment is simply another way of saying "I see my reality and it differs from my expectations" and it is in this reality where simultaneously with the pain, a real hope for a real future with real values lies. I am sufficiently self esteemed (arrogant?) to believe that had I been involved earlier on, I would have made a difference, in that much of the poison of the politics could have been avoided. And my financial, common sense and psychological skills would have been a positive influence. While many are fretting or pontificating about recent or anticipated cataclysmic problems , there is much good to reflect on. Cryonics has survived Nelson, legal attacks and other crisis others are more aware of than I, and we continue to suspend our members, provide for our patients, and stay financially intact, while attracting a growing base of support. $288 a year for immortality seems pretty cheap. Just as the Alcor salary structure leads to undesireable results, the current fee structure lends itself to a "you cant really complain, look at how little you are paying, be grateful attitude." This keeps political and welfare state control over the membership. I roughly calculate that another $100k a year paid as salaries and benefits would start to approximate competitive compensation. Thats less than $1.00 /day for the current membership base. And it buys us the right to determine who is suitable to run Alcor and perform the necessary job functions. This appeal is to you the members, to insist upon the right to pay a higher fee for the privilege of accountability. Almost everyone I know can afford it and it is possible and reasonable to make special allowances for grandfathering hardship cicumstances . In my disillusion ,much of which I owe to such people as Mike Darwin to whom this response was made, I find renewed vigor and hope. THINK LIFE! The surest way to commit Alcorcide is through persisting attacks upon the integrity of the organization while failing to describe what is healthy. To abandon Alcor is to join the other mass of humanity on the planet that says when you're dead , you're dead and cryonic suspension is no better than a cemetary plot. I am excited with the possibilities inherent in the new directions open to us, including facing viable competition, the finding of a new and better home, the rethinking of taken for granted positions, and the reformation of severed alliances. I don't know what will be in 2003, my 20th anniversary as a cryonicist but I wont be looking back at a passive involvement for 10 years as I previously have. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1696