Barbara and Tibor.

As people who are likely atheists and who so obviously cherish and love their loves, I implore you to consider cryogenic preservation.  The rate of technological innovation in this world continues to dramatically increase.  The world of today is far better than the world of 100 years ago, and it is far better than the world of 1,000 years ago.  In our future we may see the products of men’s minds stretching to the clouds, true sky scrapers.  We may see cities spanning oceans, intelligent life spanning planets and star systems.  If you truly do not want to die, then this is the simplest and most rational manner to try to defeat death, and requires very little effort. Cryogenic suspension is not a sure thing, but it is an ambulance trip through time.  Do not be so quick to discount it, as we all know all men at one time discounted all the great things that have ever been.  They looked at the man who tamed fire and cried fowl, they looked at the men who conquered diseases and cried fowl, the looked at men who would use anesthetics for surgery or wash their hands between deliveries and cried fowl.  Every single step of medical innovation has been hesitant and delayed.  Nearly every single thing that has made our lives longer, healthier, and happier was at one time opposed by the majority of people.  The culture we are raised in shapes our perceptions and attitudes, and we all live in a culture that has brainwashed us all into thinking that death is ok, that it gives meaning to our lives, that it is natural end of things.  The key for each of us is to truly and deeply consider the reasons we hold these assumptions.  We need to rise above habitualized societal responses and make each decision a full and willful product of informed choice, not something we do merely because others do it or because our nature has inclined us to do so.   When you are facing death, make a stand against it.  Cryogenic preservation slows all your molecular interactions down to a standstill, freezing you in time.  The root of your consciousness, of who you are, the pattern of your neural connections, remains in tact, waiting to be revived when the technology is available to do so.  Drowning victims in cold war have been revived up to 40 minutes later with no brain damage, dogs have been frozen and brought back to life, mice have been put in states of suspended animation.  It is not so implausible that one day man will be.

Regards,

Michael F Dickey

Alec said:

“Michael Dickey, for crying out loud, what the hell do you expect people to do?”

Well, Alec, for starters, no longer being philosophical opposed to living indefinitely is a good place to start.  All else follows from that.  But why don’t you try asking yourself that question, I am not in the business of figuring your problems out for you.  I am reminded of a quote recently run on the main page of this site. 

“Dad," I said, "I want to go to the Moon." "Certainly," he answered . . . . "I said it was all right. Go ahead." "Yes . . . but how?" "Eh?" He looked mildly surprised. "Why, that's your problem, Clifford."

Robert A. Heinlein

Have Space Suit Will Travel”

I suppose his father could have said “Sorry kid, but men can’t go to the moon, deal with it”

If you have decided you want to fight for your life, what is a logical manner in which to do that?  It seems you have all ready figured one out.

“Constantly "fighting" against death (when done by anyone other than scientists) does not amount to fighting *for* something, and is usually a distraction”

Then become a scientist and study senescence.  Or, you could just sit back and hope other people fight your battles for you.  But right now everyone who would prefer to live but isn’t much interested in putting in the effort to doing something about it is placing all their hopes in the hands of scientists who are almost unanimously philosophically opposed to immortality.  Also, one needs to have a scientific mindset, not a university doctorate to fight that battle.  Unless you are prepared to tell me that no great scientific advancement ever came from the mind of anyone except a university doctorate.  Conversely, your statement is a convenient excuse for doing nothing, amounting to ‘no matter how hard I try I can’t make any difference’  Again, strange words coming from an objectivist.  Now, If you want to say ‘na, I don’t feel like trying’ that is entirely different. 

 “And anytime you find yourself concocting a word like "deathists" -- it's a good indication that you probably shouldn't continue writing”

Alec, words are used to conveying ideas, not the other way around.  The word death has a clear meaning as does the suffix ‘ists’.  That you understand exactly what I mean is reason enough to continue using that word, even if the folks at Merriam Webster don’t have it in there yet (try looking up ‘selfish’ before you extol the purity of word definitions and usage)

Michael F Dickey

Michael,

Your idea that everyone should become a scientist, out of an obsession to prevent death, speaks for itself. I suppose I should give up everything I *live for* to try and prevent death. Otherwise, I'm an apathetic "deathist."

Alec

If you have decided you want to fight for your life, what is a logical manner in which to do that?  It seems you have all ready figured one out.

 

“Constantly "fighting" against death (when done by anyone other than scientists) does not amount to fighting *for* something, and is usually a distraction”

 

Then become a scientist and study senescence

You could also, as I have suggested in other posts, contribute time, effort, or money to organizations that support life extension. 

Or you could do nothing.

Michael F Dickey

What have I misunderstood? 

It’s pretty clear that the vast majority of people in this thread are a’ ok with ceasing to exist, and some in strange twisted ways feel it actually gives value to the very values it destroys. 

Since I have clearly misunderstood what people were saying, please let me know how these comments do not fit into either of these catagories

A) some variant that makes life worth living (e.g. all things with beginnings have ends, the impermanence of things is what gives them value, a reference point to truly value life from.
B) something they would prefer to avoid, but are content in doing absolutely nothing to avoid it.