X-Message-Number: 24858 Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 13:26:29 -0700 From: James Swayze <> Subject: Re: reeve References: <> > > >Message #24848 >From: >Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 17:28:06 -0500 >Subject: reeve > > > >>> Message #24814 >>> Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 12:07:05 -0400 >>> From: "Jonathan Hinek" <> >>> Subject: Reeve >>> References: <> >> >> > > > >>> I guess we shouldn't ever drive cars, fly on airlines, or take showers >>> in slippery bath tubs then. >> >> > >I didn't say what risks anyone should take. People should take any risks they choose, just don't call it "misfortune" if you make a mistake and suffer the consequences. Your comparison is actually very good: If someone drives a fast car he should not complain if he makes an error and crashes into a tree beside an empty highway. Certainly he shouldn't start a campaign to get rid of trees. > Now you seem to be saying Chris Reeve should never have started his campaign for Stem Cell Research, for his survival, and this I must take hearty exception to. Firstly, the use of the word, "misfortune", was mine alone and has nothing to do whatsoever with whatever Chris felt about his incident, which I haven't the slightest idea of his personal feelings on the matter. In fact he seemed to take it pretty bravely and not place blame anywhere inappropriate. I used it as interchangeable with "bad luck" because it sounds less unsophisticated. I used such a term because perhaps I know just a little bit more than you about what happened to him. Chris never, as far as I know, complained about the 'bad luck' of the rabbit running in front of his horse causing his horse to startle and throw him. Nor did he complain about the random chance that allowed for his harness to trap him exacerbating his injuries. I think your complaints are misplaced. They are exceptionally misplaced when you decry Chris' activities to extend his survival and overcome his injuries. Walking again is not trivial to surviving quadriplegia. If you knew more about it you might understand this and from your attitude I doubt very much you know much at all about the suffering of others. He had every right to *in his own ENLIGHTENED self interest* seek to overcome his injuries because that also meant saving his life. He likely could have lived to 85 or better if our wishes come true if he had not become paralyzed. Since when is it whining to take matters into your own hands and seek to maximize your own survival? I think the other fellow is right, you need a good dose of empathy. For the grace of *good fortune* there go you my friend. For that matter, why are you here if you object to Chris' efforts to further research into tissue regeneration? Are you so young that you are certain that physical immortality will arrive before you need any heroic medicine to rejuvenate some part of your body? if so, well, good for you, but I think it's extreme folly to think so and extremely disingenuous to limit the possibilities for those other than your "fortunate self. James -- Membership in order of joining - all comments on any subject are solely my opinion only and not reflective of the official positions of the following: Cryonics Institute of Michigan http://www.cryonics.org The Immortalist Society http://www.cryonics.org/info.html The Society for Venturism http://www.venturist.org Immortality Institute http://www.imminst.org Methuselah Foundation http://www.methuselahfoundation.org Methuselah Mouse Prize http://www.methuselahmouse.org [Give $$$ for life!] World Transhumanist Assoc. http://www.transhumanism.org/ WTA Portland Chapter http://home.comcast.net/~swayzej/pdxwta.html MY WEBSITE: http://home.comcast.net/~swayzej/jspage_main.html Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=24858