X-Message-Number: 14492 From: "john grigg" <> Subject: the broad view of things... Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 09:21:32 GMT George Smith wrote: I am grateful for those who may be driven to devote their efforts to cryonics related research perhaps 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (though I doubt there exist such people). At the same time, if these same hypothetical individuals do not balance their efforts toward cryonics success with seeking and remembering the PURPOSE behind that effort, sooner or later they may find their lives have gone stale as meaning has vanished. Speculation, fantasy, and the drive to understand what the future may reveal to those few of us who have opened the door to potential immortality are NECESSARY, I believe, to keep that door open. "Without vision, the people die". Discussing such issues as ethics, extraterrestial contact, transhumanism, and potential alternative futures seems to me to be a vital part of WHY those involved in this great gamble for hyper extended life should bother. (end) I am grateful to George Smith for making such a vital point so poignantly. All these "off-topic" subjects people love to dwell on here are actually indicating their fascination and love for an incredible universe they would like to stick around in for a long time longer. George, with all the people around here who have written books, I think it's time that you write one! "The Best Posts of George Smith" comes to mind as a title. :) I am sure you have a book in you somewhere... I am looking forward to the anthology being prepared by Natasha Vita-More which will give the views of very varied individuals as to why indefinite lifespan would be such a great thing. I hope to be reading it soon but do not know of the release date. Even with the list veering off in different directions, when needed it can certainly get back on course to discuss what is going on within the cryonics world. I am simply grateful that most prominent cryonicists and the leaders of the two main organizations are subscribers. If we were to lose their ear it would be a unfortunate thing. sincerely, John Grigg _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=14492