X-Message-Number: 19113 Date: Sun, 19 May 2002 02:31:25 +0800 (CST) From: =?big5?q?kurt2100kimo?= <> Subject: About SF Writers and Cryonics The boorish bahavior that Charles Platt received from Jerry Pournelle does not supprise me in the least. When I knew Jerry in the late 80's, I found him to be one of the most boorish, abnoxious persons that I have ever met. I have no desire to meet him in person ever again. Larry Niven, on the other hand, is a kind, decent human being. How Larry and Jerry are friends, I will never understand. One thing to keep in mind about both Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle is that they are both Catholics. They do not talk about it much and you find little reference to it in their writings, but the fact is that they are both Catholics and that this is part (not all) of the reason why they are not personally interested in cryonics. Charles, you are the only SF writer that I know of who is personally interested in cryonics. Why other are not is something I have no explaination for. On the day that Robert Heinlein died (yes, died), the owner of a TV shop was cryonically suspended by Alcor. Why some people sign up and others do not is something I cannot guess at. Personally I don't care if alot of SF writers sign up or not. Many of them, like Jerry Pournelle, are boorish and I can't stand to be around them. Besides, I think there is a much better market for cryonics than the SF or sci-tech people. The best market are people who seek adventure and are willing to create who new lives for themselves completely away from thier friends and families that they grew up with, like reanimation from cryonics will be like. These people are the American expats living abroad, particularly in Asia. I have talked to many people in Japan and Taiwan and many of them think that cryonics is an interesting idea. Also, the Japan group is led by Douglas Berger, who I met on many IAC (international outdoor club) outings, not knowing that he was interested in cryonics. He is definitely not an SF or sci-tech person, but he loves international travel and outdoor adventure. He especially likes the "Lonely Planet" travel life-style (just like me) and especially likes S.E. Asia (again, just like me). When you move and live internationally for many years, its alot like coming out of cryonic suspension because you live a whole new life, totally removed from the people you grew up with. Also, the expats have the lust for adventure which, at least in me, is a major driving force behind my desire for immortality. Our biggest problem, as Charles Platt and Saul Kent have pointed out, is that we really do not have a "product" yet. We need a decent neuro-preservation technology so that I can say as a sales/marketing person that "yes, we can preserve your brain, and that stem-cell regeneration will do the rest once we get a cure for aging". I can't say that right now, because we still don't have a decent neuro-preservation technology. This lack of "product" must be overcome before we can sell effectively into the expat market. ----------------------------------------------------------------- < C Yahoo! _ > www.yahoo.com.tw Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=19113