Hello everyone,
Charles Platt on the cryonet wrote the following in response to a post by Robert Ettinger. I found the post very interesting and thought those here who do not get cryonet would get a kick out of it too. My thoughts on his words and especially how cryonics and transhumanistic organizations can appeal so much more to the public are after Charles Platt's comments.
Charles Platt wrote:
From: Charles Platt <cp@sedona.net>
Subject: Normal Cryonicists
I'm glad I returned to sample CryoNet just for the entertainment value of this statement by Robert Ettinger:
>There are really far fewer unbalanced people in cryonics than you might
>expect in a movement as revolutionary as ours. If you attend meetings of
>any of the organizations--highly recommended--you will find, with
>inevitable exceptions, that most are very solid citizens with a very
>conventional range of views on most topics.
As the saying goes: ROTFL. As a journalist I have visited many subcultures, from Mensa to hardcore militia movements; and I have found more socially dysfunctional, pig-headed, and sometimes downright sociopathic misfits in cryonics than anywhere else. Of course, this is part of their charm, and provides endless material for good anecdotes. But there is a serious side effect. Several years ago I discovered that it was pointless to hold meetings to recruit new members of the Alcor chapter of New York, because some of the long-term existing members were so _odd,_ they scared off more-normal newcomers. The meetings actually served as an anti-promotional tool and insured that in this chapter, at least, cryonics would retain its stigma.
Quite possibly, CI is different. I haven't been to any of their meetings. CI members could be as "normal" as a meeting of the local chapter of the Lions or the Elks, for all I know. But based on my experience of every other subset of cryonicists during the past ten years, I'm skeptical. (End of post reproduction)
I was quite surprised by what Charles Platt said on the cryonet about the cryonicists he has known! So some cryonics groups are actually worse then hardcore militia groups! And even Mensa!! lol :)
I am concerned that the enlightened and socially well-adjusted people of the future will decide that those in cryonic suspension are just not worth bringing back because they make for such bad company!! Because I would think the inhabitants of the future would be fair about things they may brain scan every suspended person to see if they would be worth bringing back! That may be reason enough for us to try to develop social graces and also become well-rounded human beings.
I admit I am one those guys who loves to hang out in comic book/game stores and spend hours looking at the wares. I played role-playing games in highschool! I recently saw an episode of the MTV animated series "Downtown" (about genXer's) where a guy is shown loving his visits to the local comics shop and a big Con but at the same time wants to "grow up" and not be seen as nerdy. He meets a girl who he wants to impress and grow up for. It was a good episode.
There is the saying by Groucho Marx that goes "I would never want to belong to a club that would have me!" Perhaps if cryonics and transhumanistic organizations took this attitude and also projected an image of sophisticated elitism the public might clamor to join! But of course not everyone would be allowed in... I have images in my mind of a victorian era men's club or a modern-day country club. We could all sit around drinking scotch and smoking cigars or in my case drinking sprite and using a bubble pipe! Now you guys would let me in the club?? Wouldn't you? Guys??
Sincerely,
John Grigg