X-Message-Number: 22878
From: "David Pizer" <>
Subject: A Perfect Example
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2003 19:25:15 -0800


The other day I made a comment on Venturist Discussion Group and Cryonet and now
here is a perfect example to demonstrate the point I tried to make.  Please 
read the paragraph below from a news story posted yesterday and then read my 
comment (if you have any interest in thining about what is the very best way to 
present cryonics to others).


The reporter wrote:
"Speaking of dead things, you may (or more likely may not) want to
spend your next vacation visiting Nederland, Colo., especially if you
can time your visit to coincide with the town's annual Frozen Dead Guy
Days. Grandpa Bredo died in 1989 at age 101 but his grandson, a
follower of cryonics, had him frozen in hopes that one day he could be
thawed and compete in a Lindy Hop contest. (I am making that last part
up because I have no idea what good could come of thawing out a
101-year-old dead guy.) "



For quite some time there has been this trend by some cryonicists to try to 
soft-petal the prospect of physical immortality.  Most of us who are signed up 
for cryonics want physical immortality not just to live a little longer.  But 
some of us (not me) are afraid that if we state what we honestly want - physical
immortality - we will look worse to non-cryonicists then if we just say 
something like "Oh we just want cryonics so we can live a little longer, and 
then we will be happy to die and be dead forever."


It sounds dishonest to noncryonicist to hear a cop out like this.  If you tell a
noncryonicist that you want to be frozen and don't include the explanation that
you never want to be dead, then you sound (to them) like the people who are 
having their bodies turned into mummines.  


The article quoted above shows that the reporter cannot understand why anyone 
who want to revive a 101 year old guy, because he (the reporter) was not told 
that the technology that will allow future doctors to revive that guy will 
include a way to reverse the aging process so that 101 year old buy will be in 
effect, young & healthy and physically immortal.  Being physically immortal is 
not the same as being immortal - you can still die, but you won't die from 
aging.


It is time cryonicists quit making us look bad by saying they want cryonics just
to live a little longer. It doesn't make sense to noncryonicists.  Tell your 
noncryonicists and religious friends that you want the same thing they want  --
you both want to not be dead, you just disagree on what is the best way that 
might happen.  Once you both agree on the same end goal, then explaining your 
method of trying to achieve that goal will not sound any more chancey than a 
nonmaterial spiritual way.   You both have something in common. You are like 
him/her,  he/she is like you.  You both want to live on and on ......  somehow.


David Pizer

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