X-Message-Number: 9888 Date: Thu, 11 Jun 1998 16:33:49 -0400 From: Saul Kent <> Subject: Cost And Time Or Reanimation Thomas Donaldson (9881) again argues that the longer we wait to reanimate a patient, the lower the costs of reanimation are likely to be. I agree, but wish to point out again that the longer we wait to reanimate a patient, the greater the risk of that patient being taken *out* of suspension as well. In cryonics, time is risk. I don't believe that concern about having enough money for reanimation costs should stop anyone from signing up for cryonics. However, the knowledge that it's possible to keep a patient frozen for thousands of years shouldn't be used to discourage efforts to define and pay for the costs of reanimation. I'm not content with a *chance* at an extended lifespan. I want the best possible chance I can get. That means, I will be doing everything I can to improve cryonics methods, gain greater credibility for cryonics, help to build larger, stronger cryonics companies, fund anti-aging research, and try to stay alive and active as long as I can. I still have hope (although it is slim) that advances in anti-aging research will make cryonics unnecessary for me. My main hope, however, is that, by improving cryonics today, and by providing as much money as I can for my reanimation, I can improve my chances of being cryopreserved in the best possible way, minimize the burden on the future to reanimate me, and improve my chances of being revived successfully as soon as possible. If I am successful in these efforts, than *I* will be around in the future to do everything I can to push forward the research needed to attempt to reanimate my mother and friends (and others) who were cryopreserved with more primitive methods. In my opinion, the best chance for patients frozen poorly, who may require a century or two to be revived, will come from the efforts of survivors from the era in which they were frozen, rather than the efforts of members of unborn future generations. In short, I don't think it's a good idea to rely on *anyone* but ourselves for our own survival. That's why I'm concerned about the lack of young activists in the cryonics movement, and that's why I urge every living cryonicist to do as much as possible to improve our chances of survival right now! The more we do ourselves *for* ourselves, the greater our chances of living in good health for centuries! ---Saul Kent, CEO 21st Century Medicine Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=9888