X-Message-Number: 6198
Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 20:14:56 -0700
From: Tim Freeman <>
Subject: Re: "One life is enough"

Mike Perry, 
>Is it because somehow people feel an 
>*obligation* to remain in the world, at least for their natural 
>lifespan, even though they don't like it? Then there's the afterlife 
>issue. Do they fear hell or some future punishment after all, if they take 
>their own life? Or do they just have a *fear* of death that is not 
>rational but keeps them from hastening their own?
>
>Any comments are appreciated.

I think it is simpler than that.  A large fraction of the population
(95%, by two estimates I vaguely recall) instinctively looks for
somebody else to follow.  Since they've followed the public opinion
that individuality is good and following is bad, they'll produce
whatever rationalizations it takes to claim that the following is
something other than following.  If you successfully challenge what
they say, then they'll say something different while still doing
exactly the same thing.

You lose the argument not because your case is invalid, but because
doing cryonics is perceived as not following the crowd.

If I'm right, then I don't know what is the optimal next thing to do.
However, I'm sure that focusing on the validity of verbal arguments is
*not* it.

Tim Freeman


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