X-Message-Number: 4821
From: 
Date: Sun, 27 Aug 1995 09:21:45 -0500
Subject: Re: CryoNet #4818 - #4820

I certainly agree that the issue of intrinsic self-worth is fundamental to the 
selection of immortality as a lifestyle.  Never had trouble in that 
department, myself.

We are unlikely to convince anyone who is not capable of generating their own 
value from within that they should make an effort to live forever.  Why not?  
Far too much effort is involved.

It would be much better to contact those many who are able to generate 
self-satisfaction.   Clearly, we haven't reached everyone in that category.  
If most people don't identify themselves as being worth keeping around 
forever, and I'll agree that my experience has been that most folks don't, 
then what percentage of people do?  Would it follow Sturgeon's Law (that 90% 
of everything is crap) and lead us to look for 10% of the population, or is it 
a scarcer commodity than that, shared by perhaps 1%?

If we are looking for a rare personality trait such as intrinsic self-worth, 
where do we go to find people who have it?  Do we hunt among the wealthy?  Do 
we hunt among the computer literate?  Do we hunt among those who play life to 
the hilt through popular forms of extremism such as mountain climbing?  Among 
the meekly law abiding or those that challenge the system?

I have no answers to these questions, although I have some suspicions.  My 
guess is that there are a large number of lurkers on sci.cryonics and perhaps 
on this list service.  I hope that by providing some space on the Web through 
the "World of Medicine" that more of those who select themselves valuable will 
run across information on cryonics and take action.

Jim


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