X-Message-Number: 15797 From: "john grigg" <> Subject: Jeff, don't give up on cryonics quite yet... Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2001 01:22:08 Jeff Grimes wrote: While I am not very interested in cryonics at this point I am still interested in the psychology of people who go in for it... (end) What do you mean you are not very interested in cryonics at this point??? I would think at least Alcor would come close to what you are looking for. At least they are working toward greatly improving things with the support of people like Saul Kent. Is insurance part of the problem? I am grateful for the "cryonet war" which you helped to spawn. Such conflict is not new to the list as the old archives attest. lol! I think some important questions have been raised and at least partially answered. I hope you will not give up on cryonics because you are needed and you also need it. Although, you may think right now you don't. you continue: If people don't ever disagree, how do you ever expect progress to be made? (end) An excellent point. I just wish we could have probing discussions without the loss of courtesy. you continue: But this is the heart of the matter. I have come to the conclusion that most people on this list aren't very interested in making progress happen. They just want to enjoy the benefits of it, after someone else has made it happen. (end) Some people are far better able to make things happen due to their positions of leadership and/or personal wealth. Fred Chamberlain, David Pizer, Saul Kent and Will Faloon come to mind. And there are many others who also could be included here. There is progress definitely being made in terms of technology and organizational expansion of services but I admit a relative few are actually doing it. I confess to being one of those who want to enjoy the benefits of the progress being made by others. I want to be suspended using the new vitrification technologies which have been and will be developed. I desire to benefit from what is discovered inside the future labs of the timeship building. I yearn to take advantage of any improved forms of suspension "outreach" which is brought forward into existance. I would like to benefit from the ambition, brains, natural ability, money and maybe even luck(ahh, but don't we make our own luck? lol) of people like Chamberlain, Pizer, Kent and Faloon. What must I do to benefit(take advantage!) from them in my own case? First, finally get signed up for life insurance. Secondly, I must sign up with Alcor. Third, I must pay my dues on time. Fourth, I must reach out to my friends, family, lawyer and doctor to let them know of my desire to be cryonically suspended. But, by doing these things I will not only be helping myself but also the cryonics movement. So, there is a synergy here. And what could I do beyond that? Regular donations to research could be of service. But, for now my income is rather small. Also, I could simply reach out to friends and tell them of cryonics to "plant a seed" of interest in them. The new Alcor Adventure film could really help in this. I suppose often in great movements there is a small core of people who do so much to move things forward. Cryonics is obviously an example of that. It is a scary thought to consider where we would be at present without this core. Such announcements as progress in vitrification(and improved funding for research), the Venturist resort/cryonics community development, the incredible timeship and a new mobile suspension team company are all extremely bright signs of progress to me. If we continue on this road just consider where we will be in ten or twenty years! And all these developments are taking place in an environment of amazing technological growth in fields such as computing and genetic engineering. The "rank and file" of cryonics need to stay signed up or get signed up, give donations where they can, share the message of cryonics where possible and take the best possible care of their own health so when they are suspended they will take advantage of a better suspension protocol then what we presently have. I have my own work cut out for me. I must get my act together and sign up for life insurance. And then do step number two... I wish I had many millions to donate or brilliant organizational and promotional skills but I do not. I may be sounding a little like my friend George Smith in this email but I think there are great reasons to be optimistic. Four very key men are laying the groundwork for a cryonics movement which will be on a scale and a technological highpoint as never before witnessed. I am sure though they feel our help is needed in many different ways. best wishes to all, John Grigg _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=15797