X-Message-Number: 32433 Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:22:40 -0700 From: Kitty Antonik Wakfer <> Subject: Re: #32421: Re: CryoNet #32418 - Kitty Antonik Wakfer's Post... References: <> This is a response to Melody's message having been retrieved from the archives, because Kevin's "rating" algorithm enables a few censorship supportive subscribers to deny all the others the convenience of its inclusion in the daily digest: Melody Maxim wrote: > I hope the Alcor Board of Directors will give the proper attention to > Paul Wakfer's suggestions, as outlined in Kitty's Antonik Wakfer's > recent post, as I feel it would be a step in the right direction. It > is time for Alcor to focus on > the survival of the community, rather than on individuals who don't > take steps to protect themselves and ensure their wishes for > cryopreservation get carried out. I agree and do most sincerely (I'm always sincere) hope that the Board members give Paul's message - which he has now sent- very serious consideration. > In regard to Ms. Robbins, is this one person, who didn't move closer > to Alcor, (when she knew she was dying and Alcor suggested she do so), > and didn't take steps to make sure her family did not interfere, or > perhaps truly did change her mind in the "11th hour," (just as Timothy > Leary did), really worth the bad publicity involved? These are reasonable questions to ask and not ones that I think any cryonicist should find offensive. > Alcor seems to be on a collision course with regulation, or > extinction...not just for themselves, but for the entire cryonics > community. I and Paul have similar concerns and this is what prompted him to add to my CryoNet message and to send his suggestions with prefacing comments to the Board. > (And, yes, I am currently inclined to think that nothing short of > regulation will veer the cryo-orgs off an impending collision course > with public perception.) Melody, here I will register strong disagreement with you to the idea that "regulation" - interpreted to mean government involvement in the mutually voluntary contractural agreement between parties - is what is needed to "veer the cryo-orgs off an impending collision course with public perception." What is needed in my estimation is clear public meaningful standards of practice - something sorely missing in many other of the vast types of activities engaged in by reasoning humans. Imposed regulations by government under threat or actual use of physical force is a perpetuation and enlargement of ruler/ruled mentality rather than development of exchange to mutual benefit - the spirit that underlies the best of human potential and promotes a truly free and rational society. Paul last raised the subject of a cryonics standards organization some 6 years (at least) ago to a few individuals who have/do held/hold leadership positions in the two provider groups. Although we were enthusiastic and even willing to work with people with whom we had some serious disagreements in the past in order to create a viable true standards organization, the others in our discussion were not similarly inclined, either with us or with certain others. With only two cryonics providers and with the preponderance of "us-them" thinking, it was not surprising that turf-protection was also viewed as a serious drawback to the formation of a truly independent standards organization. Cryonics promotion groups, whether associated with one of the two current providers (I am not counting SA since it does only field cool down) are *not* equivalent to a cryonics standards organization. Discussion of what is needed for such a standards organization, as a minimum, could take place with involvement of those who are truly interested - and I would certainly like to see this happen. I hesitate to suggest that it take place on CryoNet since some readers may use the rating system to filter out participants whose views they do not like. A special Yahoo or Google group may be a possibility. > > Melody Maxim > **Kitty Antonik Wakfer MoreLife for the rational - http://morelife.org Reality based tools for more life in quantity and quality The Self-Sovereign Individual Project - http://selfsip.org Self-sovereignty, rational pursuit of optimal lifetime happiness, individual responsibility, social preferencing & social contracting Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=32433