X-Message-Number: 9579
From: "den Otter" <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #9568 - #9577
Date: Fri, 1 May 1998 12:48:02 +0200

> Message #9576
> Date: Fri, 1 May 1998 02:24:38 -0400
> From: Saul Kent <>
> Subject: Why Don't People Sign Up For Cryonics?
> 
>         In my essay, "The Failure Of The Cryonics Movement"
> (9556,9557) I stated that, in my opinion, the number one reason
> people don't sign up for cryonics is that they don't think it will work.

>         I would like to hear others on this forum give their 
> opinions on the number one reason people don't sign up for 
> cryonics.  I not only want to know why you think people don't sign
> up, but I'd like you to state your evidence for this belief.

For what it's worth, I think that lots of people (most?) are more or
less affraid of cryonics because it's death-related and "unconventional".
Mostly I've heard arguments like "who wants to live again/forever, one
life is bad enough" or "it's not natural" or "I believe in some (vague)
life after death" etc. They more or less assume that it will work, and
that's what scares them. Only when you go deeper into the matter 
and they find out that this isn't a proven procedure, they change
their arguments to "it will never work anyway, waste of money" etc.
Clearly, these arguments are mostly used to *justify* their initial
discomfort, and are not the primary reason to reject the idea. I base
this on dozens of unsuccessful attempts, both IRL and over the net,
to get people seriously interested in the subject. Only a handful
started with an attack on the technical side of cryonics, most just
think that it's creepy, "unnatural" and unnecessary due to "life after 
death".

Of course the fact that cryonics isn't a reversible procedure yet isn't
a valid reason not to sign up. No matter how crude the techniques,
it's still the only thing that can save you when you die. 

Personally I still think that a remote retirement (island) community
based on transhumanistic values is a worthwile effort for serious
cryonicists. With no major growth in sight it might be better to focus
on the current membership, and try to make a functional "mutual aid
group" that stretches across the various orgs. Of course research
should be the primary focus, but it would also be very useful to
(for example) design a user-friendly, do-it-yourself cryonics kit so
that local groups, the patient's family etc. can administer good
first aid until the cavalery arrives. A capsule with integrated liquid
ventilation etc. would be ideal, with comprehensive instructions
so that anyone with half a brain can activate it. Also a wrist-worn
alarm system is essential, especially for the older cryonicists
(so prevent hours or warm ischemia when death occurs at night
etc.) Such improvements would greatly improve the quality of
the "product". 

Maybe technical students could be asked (challenged?) to build a 
working prototype, since these people are relatively cheap and often 
quite inventive. It could in the form of a contest: the group or individual 
with the best design wins $ xxx. Who knows, maybe it could actually 
produce something revolutionary. Maybe a similar contest (for anyone 
who's interested) could be used to develop better vitrification techniques, 
who knows, maybe some lone inventor or a student group has a stroke 
of genius. If nothing useful is forthcoming, then you keep the prize money 
of course. Quite a safe way to stimulate research, imo.

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