X-Message-Number: 33004
Subject: Re: irrationality of the rich
From: David Stodolsky <>
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:30:01 +0200
References: <>

On 29 Oct 2010, at 11:00 AM, CryoNet wrote:
> 
>> Any rational billionaire would be on this in a heartbeat.  Nothing else
>>> makes any sense from a rational view.  What irrational reasons are
>>> preventing this from happening?
>> 
>> First, the idea that this is a predominantly rational process should be
>> dismissed. Except for atheists, the balancing of costs vs. benefits will
>> never occur. The person will have an emotional response to any thought
>> related to their own death and that will suppress any further consideration.
>> My reanalysis of the Badger data posted here earlier explains this in
>> detail. The conclusion was that current marketing targets atheist
>> millionaires.
>> 
>> We also know that existential concerns are resolved in middle age. Since
>> wealth tends to increase with age, it is likely that many billionaires have
>> already made up their minds on the issue.
>> 
>> Second, the individual-oriented marketing strategy fails to take into
>> account what guides most people's decisionmaking process in this area. The
>> approach fails to deal with the relational objections - loss of friends and
>> family, etc.- and doesn't consider the role of sub(culture) in influencing
>> decisions of this type.
>> 
>> Finally, many believe in overpopulation, global warming, energy and
>> resource shortages, etc. and feel that it would be immoral not to 'make
>> room' for the new generation.
>> 
>> 
>> So, there are several factors that can account for the seeming
>> irrationality of the rich.
>> 
>> 
>> dss
>> 
>> 
> It just seems like a form of Pascal's dilemma that is supported by direct
> scientific evidence.  While we have no decent evidence showing an afterlife
> does exist, we can readily see that death is permanent and not a desirable
> state of affairs.  10 minutes in the presence of a human 'cadavar' will
> convince almost anyone of that.  

These days a person can avoid this type of confrontation almost completely.


>  That's why a rational billionaire would at
> least buy a minimum policy, because the cost to a billionaire is vanishingly
> small and the potential rewards are huge.

The role of rationality is vanishingly small.

> 
> It's quite plausible that the successful
> cryonics patients might awaken into a world where wonderful things exist,
> but they cannot afford any of them and they lack the mental capacity as a
> mere unmodified human to earn the resources needed to pay for them.

This would be a reversal of the trends we have seen historically. 

> 
> Overpopulation and energy shortages are all based upon the capacity of old,
> cheap methods for extracting energy and making living space. 

There have never been shortages of this type.


> So essentially you're saying that older humans stop fearing death due to
> genetically programmed neurological mechanism, and they use (irrational)
> mechanisms to prevent serious thought on the subject as well.


We know that older people are on the whole happier. Whether this is genetically 
programmed or not isn't clear. However, they don't stop fearing death, they just
stop thinking about it. 


This avoidance of death related thoughts is not a mechanism limited to older 
people. It functions throughout life, however, when someone looks in the mirror 
one day and sees a lot of grey hair, they have to revise their belief in 
personal immortality. Once this is done, it is back to the avoidance of death 
related thoughts.


> 
> The rare person that does consider cryonics has difficulty signing up any of
> their friends and relatives, putting a stop to their personal consideration
> of the subject.  Thus, mainly loners end up actually staying signed up?


This doesn't seem to be the pattern, but we really don't have solid data. 
However, there have been many cryonics activist who disappear from the scene and
are never suspended. This suggests that a supportive cultural frame is 
necessary to maintain commitment over the longterm. This is why I have advocated
a new marketing strategy that would target local groups, as opposed to single 
individuals, for signup. 



dss


David Stodolsky
  Skype: davidstodolsky

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