X-Message-Number: 18416 Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 08:17:47 -0500 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: CryoNet #18410 - #18415 Hi everyone! Will Alcor and the Cryonics Institute eventually be outgunned and buried by much bigger organizations when the idea that cryonics may actually work becomes popular? I do not claim to be able to see the future, but here are some reasons AGAINST that idea. 1. A new organization does not have to establish that it has enough money. It must, for cryonics, establish that it is loyal enough and will last long enough. This is something that the existing organizations would find easy to do, and easier and easier as the time passes between now and any time that cryonics looks like becoming popular. On the other hand, a new organization would have to establish that it, too, is willing to do almost anything to keep its patients in suspension, and that it won't go bankrupt (possibly with its principals getting lots of income from that bankruptcy). 2. Someone who's only in it for the money does not have the kind of of motivations of someone who expects one day to be suspended him or herself. If you want to be assured of your suspension, the first thing you're likely to do is join an existing organization. Founding a new one, even with lots of money, isn't obviously the most effective thing to do. It's not that you could not hire people to freeze you, but that unless they too wanted to be frozen their motives would be weak. You find such people in existing organizations: people who want to be frozen themselves, and show that want in the most and strongest way, by joining a cryonics society. 3. Right now the only research directly bearing on cryonics is paid for by cryonicists. Even though their organization doesn't officially work for cryonics, both Saul and Bill are cryonicists, as are many in their organization. Essentially this means that the existing organizations will either hold patents, or have members who hold patents, to the technology required. They will not be happy to give this information to any organization or group which proposes to wipe them out by being financially stronger. Sure, if this organization or group gives, say, Alcor, a major voice in its affairs, that changes the matter. Basically, all the research work on cryonics, even simple research on the best tubing to use, makes the existing societies stronger than a new one. If they can do nothing else, they can require that they, their members, and their patients, be made equal parts of this other organization. Suspension just isn't a simple process that anyone can do by dipping their patient in liquid nitrogen; this means that the longer it takes for cryonics to become popular, the stronger will by the technology patents held by existing cryonics societies. As I said, I don't know what the future will bring. However we should not simply assume that large organizations will someday take it all over. Perhaps the large organizations will be named Alcor and the Cryonics Institute, or perhaps they will be essential parts of the formation of one or more large organizations, even if those organizations don't carry their names. Best wishes and long long life for all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18416