Social Upheaval Because of Physical Immortality

Michigan state government's recent plan to close down the Cryonics Institute has prompted the Immortality Institute to propose the following solution.

"Physical immortality is neither selfish nor impractical, but rather worthwhile, morally responsible and thoroughly feasible," says Immortality Institute, ImmInst.org, founder Bruce Klein.

ImmInst.org, a nonprofit educational organization, is proposing a plan to help people cope with the prospect of extremely long lifespans and possible immortality.

Since its inception two years ago, ImmInst.org has attracted more than 800 members. Most believe that living forever would be beneficial, yet some members disagree and think that immortality is a dangerous goal.

People are against living forever because they believe its morally wrong. Others downplay the possibility of infinite lifespans because they think its scientifically impossible.

I think its important to start talking about this early and to prepare for the inevitable social upheaval. The problems associated with living longer, such as overpopulation and boredom, should be addressed," says Klein.

Already there seems to be unrest. Just this week, the Michigan based Cryonics Institute, an organization that freezes the dead in the hopes of reviving them for possible physical immortality, was ordered to close its doors by state order.

It seems that Michigans Department of Consumers and Industry Services thinks that the cryonics organization is operating outside of the law. CIS says that the Cryonics Institute is an unlicensed mortuary science establishment and a nonregistered cemetery.

"Our investigation revealed the Cryonics Institute is clearly operating as both a funeral establishment and cemetery without any state oversight," said David C, Hollister, director of CIS. "We are extremely concerned that people from around the world have invested their trust and finances into this facility to preserve their bodies for eternity, yet this facility continues to knowingly operate outside the scope of the law."

David Ettinger, lawyer for the Cryonics Institute, said the state's action is without merit and the company plans to fight the order.

"What we do is not what a mortuary does and not what a cemetery does," he said. "We've been doing it openly in the state of Michigan for nearly 30 years."

The legal dispute at the Cryonics Institute plus other such cases like the Ted Williams cryonics controversy represent the "tip of the iceberg," Klein says.

"The debate surrounding the prospect of physical immortality will continue to intensify unless we prepare and soberly address how living forever will totally transform our lives."