X-Message-Number: 7507
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 13:57:20 -0500 (EST)
From: Ben Best <>
Subject: Uncaring cryonicists

   If cryonics were really perceived as a medical procedure (such as a
heart bypass operation or a kidney transplant), then there would be no
basis for accusing cryonicists of being selfish. But there is a difference
between life-extension technology and conventional medicine -- and therein
lies the rub. 

   In a recent review of two life-extension books in the January
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN (see http://www.sciam.com/0197issue/0197review1.html)
Leonard Hayflick makes the statement "Extending the life of a population
that already strains global resources is, in the view of many,
unconscionable". This statement cuts to the core of why cryonicists are 
perceived as selfish -- the belief that they are trying to take more than
their "fair share" of life, at the expense of others. Only a "natural 
lifespan" is acceptable in this view. As long as the selfishness issue
is linked to life-extension and the overpopulation question, I think that
no "acts of generosity" or "acts of altruism" can have any effect on the
image of cryonicists as being selfish -- or "uncaring" for the rest of the
world. 

    Personally speaking, I have no desire to "prove" that I am generous or
caring by any actions which would alter my current use of limited
resources. (These would be shallow acts of image-manipulation, not genuine
acts of generousity, anyway.) I donate some money to medical research, but
rarely to strangers in immediate need (especially if the donation is
unlikely to have alter the long-term prognosis positively). Endangered
plant & animal species are not very high on my list of priorities. I
currently donate most of my resources of time, energy and money to the 
causes of life-extension and cryonics. I think these are extremely noble
causes and they are causes to which I believe my contributions can make
a palpable difference.

    I believe that the uncaring image of cryonists can only be fought by
exposing the anti-life implications of a view of the earth as an 
overpopulated lifeboat. By that view, suicide is the most noble course 
of action. But suicide, murder, genocide, opposition to medical advances
and oppositiion to life extension are NOT *humane* solutions to the 
overpopulation problem. Therefore, it is our *accusers* who are ultimately
*uncaring*, NOT cryonicists.

                 -- Ben 


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7507