X-Message-Number: 8754
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 17:56:15 -0600
From: Steve Jackson <>
Subject: Attracting new members

Charles Platt says:

> You may
attract some members by trying to CONVINCE them that the chances are
better, but the real growth will occur when the chances ARE better.

That about gets it in a nutshell. When anybody can see that cryonics works,
signing up will be a no-brainer (whoops, better rephrase that).

Right now it is a gamble. Saying otherwise is untrue and unacceptable. But
anything that can be used to show the undecided-but-interested person that
there IS a chance, and that that chance is improving . . . is a potential
tool for recruitment.

I was raised on science fiction. The idea of suspended animation, whether
to travel in time or space, was a familiar concept to me before I was ten.
I would have expected more signups from among science fiction fans; you
don't have to explain the idea to them. A better demonstration that it's
not COMPLETELY impossible may be exactly what's needed.

Then Saul Kent says substantially the same thing, with more detail:

>  The number one requisite for growth, I believe, is substantial
improvement in the cryopreservation of organs and organisms documented in
scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals,  with a well-funded
research program in place to continue that improvement.  At some point
after this occurs, I believe it will be possible to mount a highly
effective campaign to sign up new members *based upon these advances*.

(Emphasis mine.) Amen.


 Steve Jackson - yes, of SJ Games - yes, we won the Secret Service case
  Learn Web or die - http://www.sjgames.com/ - dinosaurs, Lego, Kahlua!
          The heck with PGP keys; finger for Geek Code. Fnord.

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