X-Message-Number: 18823
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 02:10:57 -0800
From: "John Grigg" <>
Subject: Getting "a fair go" at life

Toby Christensen wrote:
It is said of people around my age group (20's) that we could become 
the  among the first to see ageing cured. 
(end)


Actually, according to Wired magazine, you need to be born IN the 2020's to have
a shot at immortality! lol Personally, I go for the view David Pizer gave in 
the previous issue of Cryonet.


For some odd reason I firmly believe people presently in their early to mid 
thirties will also be among the first to see aging cured! ; ) 

you continue:
Considering I wish to live until my brain damage can be cured, how 
likely is it that I, as the youngest member of my family and in 
reasonable health except for depression, will see ageing conquered. 
(end)


You may be collecting the oz equivalent of social security checks before that 
day comes.  But should your natural lifespan not be sufficient, than there is 
always cryonics as the big safety net.
  
you continue:
I am 21, don't smoke, VERY rarely drink and go to the gym twice a week. 
(end)


It sounds like you are on the right track.  Just don't let depression take you 
down!  And romantic ventures can also play into that, at least they do for me.  
So be careful, but not too careful. lol

>Am I among the first generation to live "forever"?
 
You just may be, but cryonics may still be needed to get you there.

In a later post that same day:
James,

you continue:
I think it is obvious that cryonics  needs disabled people like 
you and I signing up. It's the most obvious use for cryonics. 
(end)


I definitely agree with you, but some people see cryonics as being "too out 
there" and just plain unrealistic as a means of helping the handicapped.  I 
would call this a lack of vision!

you continue:
Our circumstances are very different, you and I, but the basic message 
is the same; cryonics presents a beautiful opportunity for people 
like me (brain injury), you (quadraplegia) and the numerous other 
afflictions that millions face. 
(end)


I totally agree, but convincing the world of this will be the hard part!  I 
would love to live a day(or a whole lifetime) free of my learning disabilities.


I marvel that you have brain injury.  I would never guess that reading your 
posts.  But I know from my own experience that a strength in one area does not 
mean the same in others.   

you continue:
To have more disabled people in cryonics is to, I believe, level 
the playing field a lot more. If more disabled people are able to 
access cryonics, this will be  one of the greatest PR triumphs cryonics 
could ever hope for, because it brings the Australian concept of a "fair go". 
(end)


I think the general public would be much more sympathetic to cryonics if they 
saw disabled people taking advantage of it by signing up!  But as has already 
been said on the list, disabled people often are of very limited means and 
dependant on very intrusive gov't aid programs.  This does not bode well for 
people who want cryonics contracts.  

you continue:
Could we really say that to have a twisted, palsied, drooling wreck, 
worse off than myself and certainly worse than a "normal" person, 
go to their grave after a lifetime of disability was fair? 
(end)


And who ever guaranteed anyone that life would be fair? LOL!  To be honest, I am
still not used to the fact that life is so often horribly unfair.  Of course we
each need to play the hand life dealt us to the best of our ability, but the 
problem is that some of us are given practically "unplayable" hands.


I realize to you cryonics seems a very viable option, but to the mainstream 
world it would most likely be seen as either frivolous, wasteful or even cruel 
in the sense of offering "false hope."


Until we can bring someone back from suspension, it will be very hard to gain 
public support for what you would like to see happen regarding the disabled.  

you continue:
When I asked my stepdad why disabled people were put in their graves 
after not getting "a fair go",  (he is utterly opposed to cryonics), 
he replied "Because that's life!"  

Not good enough. 

Rape and murder are events in life, but they are not acceptable either.
(end)


It is life in that people do die all the time without "a fair go."  But it's 
time for life to change! : )  I'm feeling very extropian at the moment as I 
write this.   


I would use the analogy of earthquakes and hurricanes, instead of rape and 
murder.  "Natural" events can also be very devastating.  

you continue:
So I put out the clarion call to all disabled people out there, 

not just myself and Swayze, to endeavour to get ourselves frozen and thereby get
a fair go. 
(end)
 
I hear you.

best wishes,

John


2,000,000,000 Web Pages--you only need 1. Save time with My Lycos.
http://my.lycos.com

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18823