X-Message-Number: 17362
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2001 15:47:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: "open to the idea" of cryonics

> Message #17352
> Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 13:45:32 +0000
> From: Kennita Watson <>
> Subject: Losing poll?  I think not!

> What that means is that while fewer than .000001% of people are signed
> up for cryonics as many as 36% are open to the idea.  Even allowing for
> factors in people exposed to the poll, I call that a major memetic
> breakthrough, and a sign that maybe an ad campaign is called for!

Sorry, Kennita, I don't share your optimism. When I first became hooked on
cryonics more than 10 years ago, I raised the subject with all of my
friends, and with many strangers. I found that about one-third were "open
to the idea." They said things like, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

But all of them had reasons for not doing it themselves.

You could go around telling people about, say, the benefits of a PoD
(Payable on Death) bank account as an easy alternative to writing a will.
I'm sure that a lot of people would be "open to the idea." But how many
would ever get around to doing it?

There are numerous psychological obstacles, religious questions, family
problems, and other factors preventing people from pursuing cryonics.
Plus, it costs money. Plus, you have to think about death a LOT to get
through the paperwork.

I predict that cryonics will never be easy to sell. Of course, this
doesn't mean that we shouldn't keep trying to sell it.

--CP

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