X-Message-Number: 15031
From: "George Smith" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #15024 Politics and the future.
Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 13:18:30 -0800

In Message #15024, Thomas Nord speculated on the subject: "Bush is a danger
to us?"

Thomas Nord wrote:

> Today I'm a bit worried over the Republicans since Bush doesn't seem to
give
> a damn over the Greenhouse-effect, Gore does and Nader more so. A bit
expert
> on the subject and in conference with others who can more, I know it may
be
> better here but others may get hell and must move, or the other way
around.
> Sweden may get warmer in winter, or we may get a new iceage, Arizona will
> get hotter etc.
> I guess Gore cant do much more with the congress and senate in opposition,
> but today I guess its better to pray for him in this aspect.
> We may all die of this, or just some, US is large and may cope within, but
> they may not care to move frozen bodies when there is major problems
> otherwise.
> Some say politics shouldn't involve, folks can do what's best, but they
cant
> since there hasn't been much improvements in years.
> What's the sentiment where you live?

First understand that politics (at least in the US) is driven by politicians
getting re elected and this is not conducive to long term planning if by
long term we are speaking of more than two to six years.

Second, understand that in the US the following statistics were true as of
1996 (American Booksellers Association survey results):

80% of US families did not buy nor read a book in 1995.
70% of US adults have not been in a bookstore in the last 5 years.
58% of the adult US population NEVER reads another book after high school.
42% of US college graduates NEVER read another book after graduation.
$5.4 billion was spent on movies in the US in 1995.

In other words, most US citizens are virtually illiterate and rely almost
entirely upon television for their world view.

These are the majority to whom the politicians pander for their careers to
be maintained.

These are also the same majority the media panders to for their careers to
be sustained as well.

It is, in a very real sense, a closed system of ignorance, in my opinion.

I ASSUME, due to evidence of higher literacy rates, that things are at least
SOMEWHAT better in other countries but I believe that the ultimate
difference must not be that great.

Why?  Because when I travel to and communicate with citizens of other
nations outside the US I find the same groundless beliefs in the propaganda
masquerading as news (and even worse, "facts").

For a simple example, I happened to be in Ireland when President Clinton
arrived there about 5 years ago to "help the peace process".  My direct
expereince with both citizens of Northern Ireland and the Repulic of Ireland
was the same:  they all seemed to mindlessly believe that Bill Clinton would
solve the problem.  Why?  Because that was what was being stated on
television on both sides of the Atlantic.

Now we know better.

...or do we?

I won't list example after example of this, but the point I am attempting to
make is that in the midst of technological revolution, the masses of
humanity are becoming (1) more naive and (2) less literate.  This is my
opinion only but I base it upon both personal observation and those
statistics which attempt to measure such issues as literacy.

However, I also believe that the tide will turn as technology moves ever
forward.  It is just that we are passing through a bottleneck of unknown
duration during which much nonsense continues to be widely beleived in by a
populace which remains vastly ignorant and functionally illiterate.

I have a good friend names McEwan who proposed many years ago to me what he
(humbly) proclaimed as McEwan's Law:

Things happen exacty the way they must happen.

This is applying the same perspective of technical analysis in the stock
market, to politics.

In other words, until there are motivations for politicians to overcome
their current short term self interests, long term projects will tend to be
shelved.

That includes, of course, cryonics.

What a surprise!

So what I am somewhat cynically suggesting is that there is no need to
"worry" about the actions of any governing body as there truly is nothing
that you can do about it.  Form groups to policially overthrow the current
political structure and the current realities of motivation will still
undercut the most "sensible" schemes to transform the world.

Technology has given the modern world the gift of wealth.  Technology will
continue to adance and gradually change the rules of the game.

When it is personally profitable for long term problems to be solved by
politicians, they will solve them.

Until then there really is nothing meanigful you can do about it.

My advice?  Focus on the areas of your life you DO have control over - such
as cryonics.  Sign yourself up.  Try and convince others to sign up as well.

That's my opinion.

 George Smith

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