Stalin was almost universally loved and worshipped among the not-yet-jailed population
This is plain not true, the level of his popular support (not "love and worship") is disputed, but at the "more than half" vs "less than half" level.
But I kind of agree with your conclusion.
Yeah, I don't see the firm stats on the issue. My online search was not very fruitful, either. Judging by the reaction to Stalin's death, the number is definitely at the "more than half" level, but I can't tell much more than that. If you have any relevant links, please feel free to post them. And yeah, my unnecessarily strong statement detracted from the point I was trying to make.
This month's media thread includes a short article on some people's idea to have Ayn Rand frozen, which ultimately didn't happen. My first reaction was a shudder. I thought, I definitely wouldn't want Ayn Rand preserved forever. My second thought was, What right do I have to say who can and who can't get frozen?
Whatever your thoughts on Ayn Rand, I think this can spark an interesting conversation: What, if anything, should humankind do about people who are widely seen as harmful for the whole? For example, if the Castro dynasty in Cuba or the Kim dynasty in North Korea decide to freeze themselves to ensure they will continue oppressing their countries forever, should that be prevented? (And yes, my opinion of Ayn Rand is such that these examples came to mind.)