The responses are interesting. I think this is the most helpful to my understanding:
I'm getting sort of tired arguing about the futility of current cryogenics, so I won't.
I will state that, if my spouse fell for some sort of afterlife scam that cost tens of thousands of dollars, I WOULD be angry.
"This is not a hobby or conversation piece,” he wrote in 1968, adding, “it is the struggle for survival. Drive a used car if the cost of a new one interferes. Divorce your wife if she will not cooperate.
Scientology urges the exact same thing.
posted by muddgirl at 5:52 PM on July 11
I think this is the biggest PR hurdle for cryonics: it resembles (superficially) a transparent scam selling the hope of immortality for thousands of dollars.
um... why isn't it? There's a logically possible chance of revival someday, yeah. But with no way to estimate how likely it is, you're blowing money on mere possibility.
We don't normally make bets that depend on the future development of currently unknown technologies. We aren't all investing in cold fusion just because it would be really awesome if it panned out.
Sorry, I know this is a cryonics-friendly site, but somebody's got to say it.
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July Part 1