X-Message-Number: 7350 Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 15:43:28 -0500 (EST) From: "Henry R. Hirsch" <> Subject: Synthetic Pleasures I was very much disturbed by the presence of the cryonics segments in the movie "Synthetic Pleasures". The presentations in themselves were fine, but the context was terrible. According to one school of thought, any publicity is good publicity. "Just spell my name right." I don't think that is true. The old adage that you are known by the company you keep is much more to the point. In "Synthetic Pleasures", the rational idea of cryonic suspension is presented as equivalent to such escapist activities as body piercing and entertainment through virtual reality. The reaction of many viewers may be the one given by my wife. She felt that the movie made cryonics look like a religion. She is not a cryonics supporter but, having joined me in a visit to the Cryonics Institute, is much more knowledgeable about the subject than most moviegoers. I don't mean to initiate another internet flame war. I am only writing in the hope that, in the future, we will all try to avoid giving cryonics the appearance of a pseudoscientific cult. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Henry R. Hirsch Department of Physiology Phone: (606)323-5438 MS508 Chandler Medical Center Fax: (606)323-1070 University of Kentucky E-Mail: Lexington, KY 40536-0084 USA Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7350