X-Message-Number: 6093
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
From:  (hEpCaT)
Subject: Re: "investing in cryonics"
Message-ID: <>

References: <4kj5d9$> <> 
<>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 20:45:50 GMT

Brian Wowk said:

>        I agree with John de Rivaz that investing in the cryonics
> company that cares for you (or even a diversified portfolio of
> cryonics companies) for the purpose of funding your cryonics
> care is a bad idea.  Yes, it is probable (but not absolutely
> necessary) that your cryonics organization will have grown and
> prospered if you are ever revived.  It is even more probable
> (but again not absolutely necessary) that the cryonics industry
> as a whole will have grown if you are ever revived.  But neither
> assumption is certain-- not certain enough to bet your life
> on.
>        This recognition is what is behind the recent trend in
> cryonics for cryonics organizations to create an "arms-length"
> relationship with the funds that pay for their patients' care.
> Ideally, you want patient care funds sufficiently distanced from 
> your cryonics organization that the organization could fail
> completely, and your funds would still remain intact and able to
> continue maintenance payments to a successor organization. 

It is dangerous to assume that suspension funding alone 
would be enough continue a suspension. "Successor 
organizations" might just as well be interested only in 
the continued payments. The false premise is that money 
is enough to buy "loyalty" and "caring". It isn't.

Investing in your own cryonics organization makes the 
probability of its survival, and therefore your own revival, 
much more likely than to count on the integrity of future 
vendors simply because at least in your organization the 
people in charge are in the same boat. What commonality of 
self-interest exists between a frozen patient and a 
"successor organization" that might make a bid for the 
business of continuing her care? 

I'm not saying that the money factor isn't important, 
only that if you're attempting to ensure that your 
suspension continues until revival is possible, your 
priority should be building your suspension organization. 
Of course it's a lot harder to envision an organization 
made up of successive generations of members that care 
about its patients than it is to envision piling up cash 
for a rainy day. But a pile of cash is a whole lot more 
vulvernable than a strong organization is.

Ever forward,

David

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David Cosenza                                           
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