X-Message-Number: 17111 From: "John de Rivaz" <> Subject: Why? Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 11:55:47 +0100 Thomas R Mazanec asks why people do not sign up, despite the fact they many must know about cryonics. The possibilities are endless, but high on the list is probably that they have false ideas about many aspects of it. Another one is probably the same reason as why people do not make wills or think more than so much into the future. Hatred or mistrust of the legal profession may have something to do with it. Most people only use lawyers if they are forced to, voluntary users are I would suspect quite few - the lack of will making amongst the general population in the UK is a prime example. I know that you don't have to get involved with lawyers if you want to sign up, but there are plenty of undercurrents from both sides that suggest that you should. At present in the ECSG mailing list (join it from http://www.cryonics-europe.org ) there is a discussion about all sorts of extra legal documents and expense. Some of those enthusiastic about cryopreservation think you can improve your chances if you commission various legal documents. Those against cryonics try and dissuade others by suggesting that they get their lawyers to check it out first, as it must be a scam really. Cryonics, (even if funded by a trust or pre-payment), is really a sort of insurance policy. No one wants to be cryopreserved, it is just the second worse thing that can happen to you. There is also quite a current of hostility rising against insurance companies, with several failures and frauds in the Uk recently. People are noticing that the things they really worry about are being excluded from policies, or charged at extortionate rates. A lot of people don't insure their house contents, and take out the minimum legal requirement on their cars and building structure (required if there is a mortgage). With contents policies, no one wants their house to be burgled, but if you are covered it is the lesser of two evils. Many may prefer to just hope it doesn't happen. They know if they, for example, take a discount for having a theft alarm, the one time they are burgled they will have forgotten to set it. Or they may discover that their policy only allows for a two week unattended absence and they were away 15 days - and so on. -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz: http://www.deRivaz.com my homepage links to Longevity Report, Fractal Report, music, Inventors' report, an autobio and various other projects: http://www.geocities.com/longevityrpt http://www.autopsychoice.com - http://www.cryonics-europe.org - http://www.porthtowan.com Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=17111