X-Message-Number: 21146 From: "Mark Plus" <> Subject: Re: Old rules/ new rules Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 10:00:30 -0800 In Message #21130, Tim Freeman writes: >The rules we live by are changing. Then he lists some examples that I generally agree with. I have half a contribution: Old rule: The elders are wise. New rule: Well, I don't know if there is a new rule yet. My experiences with the elders in my family don't give me the impression that age necessarily brings wisdom. Three of my grandparents were basically decent (the fourth one had a more colorful history, but he died before I could get to know him well), but not particularly competent. It never occurred to me while growing up that I could go to one of them for advice, because even as a child I could tell that they didn't know much that would qualify as "wisdom." Perhaps a society coming to grips with radical life extension will try to set up conditions where maturing people learn "wisdom" whether they are predisposed towards acquiring it or not, instead of leaving the process to happenstance as is the case now. Who would want to live in the alternative outcome, a world of life-extended people who fail to acquire good judgment? Mark Plus It's not "religious" or "science fictional" if you can do it. _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=21146