X-Message-Number: 24198 From: "John de Rivaz" <> References: <> Subject: Re: Markets and reality Date: Sun, 6 Jun 2004 11:42:06 +0100 > Message #24195 > From: > Subject: Re: Markets and reality <del> > > But issues like regulation and law ARE based on public sentiment. Quite so, and it is often based on an innaccurate understanding of the facts. To continue the flat Earth analogy the public could well have caused laws to be enacted that ships should not sail west of Europe or Africa, or east of Asia, out of sight of land. The intent would be to save sailors' lives should they fall over the edge of flatland. Analogous laws prevent stem cell funding and other life saving projects such as cryonics. What is needed more than anything is education, but it seems that once someone has "taken a position" it becomes a matter of virility or personal pride to go on arguing the point rather than admit that the position is wrong. This seems particularly so with people in power -- if a politician does change his mind he is often castigated in newspapers for "taking a U turn". People with positions of power put themselves up to be perfect, and to admit to changing one's mind is to admit that one wasn't perfect before it was changed. But still, education must help. -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz: http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy, Nomad .. and more Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=24198