Hello everyone,
I am reposting this from cryonet. I shared about a lengthy cryonics conversation I had with my parents. Also, I gave thanks to several people on cryonet who had written very informative posts. I hope everyone here is having a nice holiday season and looking forward to the dawn of the 21st century.
best wishes,
John
I found the latest issue of cryonet very exciting. The study Robert Ettinger commissioned is certainly fascinating. I had always thought of the ramped technique as clearly superior. I look forward to the results of the future studies.
Regarding "blowing up religious buildings and landmarks" I can only say that such talk is very sad. I remember as a young Mormon missionary in Louisiana being told the quote by Brigham Young, "you can only kick this church upstairs!" The fierce persecution of the Mormon church in the nineteenth century only over the longterm only strengthened it.
As for me as a young guy knocking on doors; I can say that the heated reaction of bible belt people actually energized us to further vigorous missionary work. Having guns drawn on us or voices raised in hateful derision did not cause us to want to go home. I was young and truly believed God would protect me as I tracted through some of the worst neighborhoods in New Orleans. The local street thugs would watch us and smile wickedly not being sure whether to be friendly or hurt us. I was fortunate.
I had friends who served missions in western Europe. They encountered what really saps the spirit out of missionaries; total disinterest! With person after person politely ignoring them they sometimes fell prey to homesickness and apathy. The "oldschool" europeans who would have burned them to the stake are gone(happily!) but just a little of that spirit might have invigorated the missionaries. lol
A friend was sent to France. His four years of French in highschool had paid off! lol There was not a more solid young mormon guy around and his mission president sent him to tract near the beaches of the French riviera. A female voice behind him asked for the time and as he turned around to reply a shock hit him. This beautiful young woman was not wearing a stitch of clothing. My friend quickly turned around again and gave her the time. She giggled as she walked away. I'm sure she tells the story too.
Rudi Hoffman's post was excellent and very informative. I appreciate all the work he does on our behalf to make cryonics a real possibility for people. Considering all the insurance Rudi has for his cryonics savings account, I expect him to be up there with Bill Gates after he comes out of suspension! He has sure been patient with me and I hope to show him it was worth it.
Now, regarding my conversation with my stepfather Walter and my mother. I was visiting my folks when my mother mentioned that I wanted to get life insurance for cryonics. An idea which she considers alright since she knows of my frustrations with my present world.
My stepfather Walter is originally from India. Upon highschool graduation he enlisted in the Indian merchant marine and worked his way up to be a senior ship's engineer. After his retirement and the death of his first wife he came to the U.S. for a change of pace. My mother has been married to him for eight years now. He is a good man with old-fashioned values and has a fairly good grasp of the english language.
He really got on my case about cryonics. He was convinced(with no investigating done) cryonics leadership were a bunch of conmen out to get rich off me! I found the thought amusing and explained that they are not enriching themselves but instead making sacrifices for it.
Then Walter heatedly asked me if cryonics had been proven by having a person brought back. I explained the answer was no. He had a field day with that one! I told him cryonicists made it very clear that this was all a big gamble at best. But the hope was that with nanotech(took time explaining about it!) and steadily improving suspension techniques we all had a good chance of being brought back.
Next he brought up how it was against nature and God to bring back the dead. I said how to a medeival man a paramedic using paddles would be defying God. I realize that is somewhat simplistic. I went on to say that by our standard of science a cryonics patient is dead, but by the standards of science a century from now they will only be "asleep."
Then I went on to explain about how damage is done in freezing but how all the information is still there to be reassembled. And how nanobots over time could molecule by molecule reassemble the body based on the pattern left.
I told him that to bring back the "dead" who were burned to ash or eaten by sharks would take Godlike power beyond nanotech. But that cryonics was well within the realm of very human science though the nanotech was not here yet.
By the end of the conversation he was still wary of it but not as he had been before. He wanted documented proof about the claims of cryonics leaders regarding the financing and finances of it all. I showed him a copy of Cryonics magazine and said I did not worry about such things. He said I had better intensely study this whole subject a thousand times over before I commit to it. My mother laughed outloud and said she knew I had!
But then my mother who is generally positive about cryonics shared a concern with me. She believes that great earthquakes and social disurbances are going to come over the next several decades. This is due to her religious beliefs(which I often agree with as a theist) but also from a bunch of "new age" books she loves to read.
I replied that cryonicists realized there were no guarantees. A great geological or sociological disaster might destroy the frozen bodies at the cryonics facilities. These buildings are well-built and have security in place, but there are no absolute guarantees in life.
Mom then went on to tell me that according to a book she had just read that we were now living in a golden age but did not realize it. things would get much tougher in the next two centuries for humanity. The author learned this by putting people into hypnotic states and getting in touch with their "future selves." lol!!
I explained how most likely this was a case of their subconscious tapping into the imagination and simply making the stuff up when prompted by the hypnotist. This has been discovered to occur in some trials where people are hypnotised to remember things which supposedly have been blocked out. my mother conceded that might be the case.
It felt good to know I could at least to some extent defend and explain my views on cryonics. I enjoyed having the chance to discuss it also with my family.
Sadly, my brother Mike(age 25) thinks cryonics is bizarre and has no interest. But, perhaps oneday he will change his mind. He is an avid computer user who would feel at home at a Rainbow gathering.
I plan on attending the World Future Society meeting held here in Anchorage once a month. I saw a flyer and called up the president. He is a very friendly older gentleman who welcomed me to visit. Only about a six or seven people generally attend meetings which is very sad. There are about thirty names on the membership rolls. Anchorage has over two-hundred thousand people in it so attendance should be so much better! They have never put up flyers on college campuses. I will change that...
Anyway, I have enjoyed sharing my recent experiences with the list members. I am just trying to do my own small part with my loved ones. I hope everyone has a nice holiday season and new year.
sincerely,
John
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