From: john grigg (starman125@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun Mar 26 2000 - 16:19:36 MST
Zero wrote:
Oh sure, that's likely to go over *really* well. "Hey, lets all fund a bunch
of way-out research so Bill Gates can live forever, while millions of kids
in the third world (not to mention a few thousand right in the good old U S
of A) go to bed hungry every night." Nobody's going to touch that with a 10
foot pole.
(end)
This is a popular way of thinking but for the reasons listed by the posters
I quote below, I just don't see it working out this way. And if Bill Gates
wanted to really live forever HE could fund the research to the tunes of
billions if he wanted to!! Tax payer dollars would not be needed! lol And
we have already discussed on the list how so much of foreign aid is sadly
misdirected in a program that is flawed from the start.
Curt Adams wrote:
I don't think there's any such problem. We spend billions on research for
diseases like Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, and prostate cancer, where the
result will only benefit old people in rich countries. Much less gets spent
on research for 3rd world food production. I don't see why attitudes would
be substantially different about longevity research, a new way of
benefitting old people in rich countries.
(end)
Exactly! But using terms like, 'longevity research' makes it acceptable to
most and not as politically explosive as words like "immortality research"
which in my view should be avoided. I wonder just how much is spent on
researching improved ways for the third world to produce food? What real
gains have been made?
Natasha wrote:
In that the pools of money originally referred to was in part from "(1) the
estimated fifteen trillion dollars that baby boomers stand to inherit from
the World War II generation," the baby boomers are most definitely
interested and involved in basic areas life extension. Cosmetic surgery,
fitness routines and lean figures may seem very mundane, but multi-track and
see these boomers a decade up the road and they will be lined up for
cryonics, and then a few more decades up the road and they may be lined up
to have their brains uploaded.
(end)
Natasha, you hit the nail on the head here! The baby boomers generation is
most likely going to fight aging (youthful appearance loss and loss of
function) screaming and kicking all the way! This generation is used to
prosperity and getting their way and will raise hell in Washington a decade
or so from now if they feel barriers are being put in the way of longevity
research. They are beginning to just now really sense their impending
mortality.
I would like to think that many of them will line up for cryonics but I am
not so certain. But as vitrification is perfected I could see that
happening. We need a better product and not just good marketing and
advertising. lol
One thing to keep in mind is that as they face mortality many boomers may
have a 'knee-jerk' reaction and take up a much more conservative stance on
things, a throw-back to their parents. This might cause many to view aging
and death as part of the natural cycle of things and to even actively oppose
the longevity research we desire. Time will tell. Natasha, I hope you are
right and that my fears turn out to be groundless.
sincerely,
John Grigg
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