X-Message-Number: 5442
From: Peter Merel <>
Subject: Recklessness?
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 11:21:48 +1100 (EST)

David Cosenza writes,

>[snip]

David, over the past two days, you've done two things. First, you've
laid a claim to subtlety - you said that you understand it and value it. 
Second, you've continued to rubbish CC and BPI.

As I said earlier, subtlety is thinking about the effect of your words,
and guarding your words accordingly. In this light, it is difficult to
reconcile your two postings. In fact, I'm very confused. Have you
thought about the effects of your words? What do you imagine they will
be? Who do they benefit?

Certainly not Alcor or CC/BPI; I'm sure both organisations are very
worried about the prospects of legal action, lost business and
legislative attention.  Certainly not prospective cryonauts; they want
to see their organisations cooperating, pooling their resources and
sharing their research, not bickering and sueing. And certainly not
yourself; you're obviously not winning any friends like this.

Perhaps you're intending to reduce the risks of reckless behaviour to
patients. But flames aren't any way to do that - quality management,
standardisation of procedures, peer-review and accreditation schemes,
education of regular medical personnel and so on  - these are ways to do
that.  I think flames and reckless personal attacks are actually
themselves a pretty large risk to patients, because of the risk of loss
of funds due to legal actions, the risk of legislators trying to
"protect" the public from "fraudulent" cryonics providers, and the risk
of increased secrecy and disharmony between the various cryonics groups.

So please explain this to me - I'm not involved in any of these
organisations, neither in their administrations nor even signed up -
what are you trying to achieve here? Is this some kind of personal
vendetta that you'll pursue at all costs? Or if you are attempting
subtlety, what effect do intend your words to create?

Peter Merel.


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