X-Message-Number: 5246
Date: 23 Nov 95 13:43:09 EST
From: "Kent, Saul" <>
Subject: Fear Of Death And A Few Words About Marketing

	Steve Bridge says that most people who are afraid of something,
such as speaking in public, do not strive to conquer their fear, but,
rather seek to avoid whatever it is they are afraid of. He suggests that
this may explain why most people who are afraid of death fail to do
anything about it.
	In my case, the central driving force in my efforts to conquer
death is, and has always been, my fear of death, which I experience
emotionally as the absence of being. Most people can avoid most things
they are afraid of, such as speaking in public, however the only way I
can avoid the consequences of *my* fear is to continue to be, that is, to
remain alive. Hence, my efforts to help conquer death.
	Many people have told me that their primary fears are *not* that
they are going to die, but rather pain, suffering, losing their looks,
losing their minds, and, generally, the deterioration that comes with old
age. To me, all such fears are *part* of the fear of dying because they
are all part of the *process* of dying. In fact, I believe, we would see
things more clearly if we referred to what currently happens to us with
the passage of time as "dying" rather than "aging". First because it
would help people understand that they are, in fact, dying, even if they
are still "healthy". Second because it would help them understand that
the passage of time does not *inevitably* have to lead to death, which
would, hopefully, persuade them to participate in the fight against
death.
	A few words about marketing cryonics. I believe strongly that
cryonics can be marketed well today. I believe there are hundreds of
thousands of people favorably predisposed to cryonics who could
potentially be persuaded to join cryonics organizations with enough time,
effort, intelligence, and creativity.  I believe there are a number of
identifiable reasons that keep people from signing up for cryonics and
that, in many cases, people could be signed up by dealing effectively
with the primary reason(s) for their failure to sign up.
	I believe that one of the primary reasons more people aren't
signing up for cryonics is the relatively poor quality of the current
methods we use to preserve patients. Since these poor methods are also an
impediment to *my* survival, I have chosen, at this time, to concentrate
most of my efforts in cryonics to help improve these methods.
	I also believe that the improvement of cryonics methods, as well
as the expectation of *continued* improvement in cryonics methods, are
the most important tools we have in marketing cryonics.

---Saul Kent 


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