X-Message-Number: 22801
From: "David Pizer" <>
Subject: Honesty is the best policy
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2003 23:48:11 -0800

ITS TIME FOR US TO BECOME HONEST AND TELL  IT LIKE IT IS!


I have become convinced that the reason the cryonics movement is moving so 
slowly is because we have recently been trying to sell cryonics without 
explaining the ultimate goal of physical immortality and it doesn't make sense 
to anyone when presented that way.  "They" don't understand someone who wants to
be frozen to come back and live 5 more years and then die.  That sounds dumb to
'them' and it sounds dumb to us.


If we want "them" to understand and *accept* what we are doing we have to 
explain the prospect of physical immortality to them.  We have tried it the 
soft-petal way for the last few decades and our movement has been at a slow 
crawl, now lets try an honest approach.


I hear people asking (all the time)  "Why would you want to have your body 
frozen?"  (OK substitute "vitrified" it still won't make sense to them without 
the concept of physical immortality).  They ask this question because the person
talking about cryonics and getting frozen did not tell them first that he/she 
wanted physical immortality - that he/she doesn't want to die.  if you say you 
don't ever want to die, non-cryonicists can understand where you are coming 
from.


Ettinger's book would have never sold a copy if his title had been "The Prospect
of getting Frozen."   People who try to sell cryonics without the concept of 
physical immortality are getting the cart before the horse and no one wants to 
ride.  Ettinger gave them/us the prospect of immortality and then he told us how
to get it with cryonics  --- His book about *immortality,* by the way, started 
this movement.


If you want the cryonics movement to succeed you have to be honest with 
potential supporters and non-supporters alike.  You have to tell them your 
ultimate goal - physical immortality - first, and then tell them you are trying 
to obtain that goal through cryonics.  They might not agree with you but at 
least they will *understand* why you are doing what you are doing.  They are 
probably trying to obtain immortality through supernatural means so at least 
they will understand why your goal is desirable.  They will respect you more 
then if you just say you want to get frozen and don't say why.


Without the stated goal of scientific, medical, biological physical immortality,
the goal of cryonics sounds as stupid as the mummifiers.


David  Pizer



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