X-Message-Number: 18426
From: 
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 10:36:09 EST
Subject: benefits of growth

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David Johnson writes:
> 
> >I am certainly all in favor of as many individuals as are willing, to 
> become 
> >involved in cryonics.  However, while I may be missing something, it is 
> not 
> >100% obvious to me that the likely outcomes for current cryonicists are 
> >really heavily dependent on the increase in numbers to the movement.  
> 
My guess would be that the chances of living members depend to a significant 
extent on the growth of the movement and organizations, and the chances of 
current patients to a much smaller extent.

The current patients' chances are tied mostly to the financial stability and 
viability of the organizations. I don't think there is much risk here, but 
additional reserves of people and money would certainly help.

The chances of living members are affected in unknown degree by the kind and 
timeliness of treatment they receive, which in turn depends partly on 
research and partly on access to nearby facilities, and also on the 
cooperation of families and institutions. These in turn depend heavily on 
growth in numbers and financial resources.

As we have said many times, our chances later depend at least in part on our 
actions now. As usual, we have to walk a fine line here. On the one hand, we 
don't want prospective members to think that, if they join, they will be 
perpetually hounded to give more and do more. On the other hand, we do need 
all the help we can get. 

The Marxists used to say, "From each according to his ability, to each 
according to his need." It didn't work for them, but something slightly 
similar might work for us. In a sense, after all, it HAS worked for humanity 
as a whole. (Those willing and able did the heavy lifting, while the rest 
often shared the benefits.)

Robert Ettinger
Cryonics Institute
Immortalist Society
www.cryonics.org




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