X-Message-Number: 4243 Date: Wed, 19 Apr 1995 20:58:15 +0700 (TST) From: Robert Horley <> Subject: Desperately Seeking Respectibility Hi, It has become apparent while following this list that sometimes the group goes a little overboard in criticizing non-mainstream ideas. I think that a little more tolerance=20 could be called for, and perhaps what is needed is a spirit=20 of critical acceptance rather than critical rejection. By this I mean, that while it is positive to point out logical=20 or scientific errors, a spelling mistake does not render an=20 idea incorrect and a logical or factual error does not necessarily render a whole concept worthless. The fact of the matter is that even cryonics itself is not on the most solid of grounds, with its faith in a technological fix for=20 its problems at an unknown time in the future. Also, I=FEve noted that there seems to be a deep seated belief among many participants in the cryonics movement, that in order to succeed, cryonics must be made as acceptable as possible to mainstream public opinion and the scientific establishment. While it is a good idea not to overly antagonise the forces that be, I think that when communicating with other =FEtrue believers=FE on the list, it is not necessary to be so zealous in our rejection of any idea=20 that has not come out of mainstream research (except for cryonics of course). In fact, in =FEmy opinion=FE, cryonic suspension will not only never be accepted by today=FEs establishment, it will also be=20 actively opposed by them if it ever looks like succeeding. =20 In its heart of hearts the establishment knows that the success of cryonics would be deadly dangerous to the stability of the present social order. Cryonics and related longevity research is one part of a looming paradigm shift that will shake the very foundations of society more than anything that has come before. Its triumph will probably mean the destruction of all those cultural systems and beliefs that have been built up over thousands of years to help mankind deny of the reality of death and extinction.=20 Into the garbage can of history with traditional religion based around the idea of an afterlife; into the garbage can=20 of history with state supremacy over the individual as people stop worshiping their nations as immortality fetishes; into the garbage can of history with the military=20 as people cease to see the heroic glorification of death as=20 a route to immortality; into the garbage can of history with ritual human sacrifice through capital punishment and war; into the garbage can of history with indifference to the suffering and death of others as people cease to see death as inevitable;... I could go on and on with examples here, but I won=FEt.=20 However, I think we need to realize that everything that has been achieved so far by cryonics has occurred in spite of the establishment, and that the real battle will begin on the day that cryonics looks like becoming a viable option for the average man. Robert Horley Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=4243