I don't think your position has been compromised richiekgb, although my own take is a lot more cynical towards Max More--I read that article as written by an apologist for predators and paedophiles. Max More may well have changed his stance since, he is definitely changing his public stance now as his new Alcor position probably hangs on the change.
I think, as Melody remarks, that Max More may be regretting his need for attention right now, or at least regretting his need for attention for holding such views.

As TAC points out, he has had considerable time, if he has truly changed his views, to alter or update that article--instead he has proudly left it up for public viewing. That's not the behaviour of someone who has given the matter much deep thought. I think the prospect of losing the Alcor confidence has had much more of an influence on his 'views.'

You are still entitled to read the situation differently.

"Its that simple - it was stupid and arrogant to credit himself with writing it on his home page - but he did and I am sure he now knows that it was a BIG mistake."

-Yeah, he figures that it was a "BIG mistake" now that people are paying attention to it. By the way, I concur with those above who don't remember a "young, crazy phase" where we thought pedophilia was OK. And I had some pretty crazy phases where I believed some pretty crazy things!

"But this is not the same - As I said Max More has promised further explanation. "

-You're right. It's not the same. In this situation, we have the author in his own words. And what in this thread makes you feel confident in Max's promises?

"If this is spin then I have been fooled but this is turning into a 16th century witch-hunt in my opinion."

-How so? We didn't post that stuff on the web, MAX did. We didn't put his essays up on Amazon for sale, presumably he did.

"The minute you mention sex/abuse with children understandably people become irrational - its the one thing thats too much for people to bear."

-In reality, being offended by those who defend pedophilia is not being "irrational", it's a moment of clarity and rationality.

"But use Occams Razor - Its all too easy - if he really thought things like that why would he be so blatent - I just don't buy it - More may be a hopping mad extropian but hes not completly stupid and I am sure that he is aware of how damaging that document could be to his life if he doesnt explain it properly."

- You realize that paragraph makes absolutely no sense. Someone trying to hide their views on a subject doesn't sell those views on Amazon.


"I am confused - and I am happy to remove myself from the argument if people feel that my position has been compromised by me choosing to take this position."

-I don't think you're "compromised", but I think your interpretation of More's "defense" is.... let's just say.... unique.

Max More's contortions are ridiculous.

He is blaming others and complaining that someone is criticizing him? For what?
He wrote that vile article, and many many others, like the Lucifer junk.
But he wrote that article in question, he published it, and promoted it.

That is 100% his fault.
Its not the fault of the people who read it on the public internet, where it was published on a Libertarian website, with a commentary from the website. He knew it was there, of course.
Want proof?
That other Lucifer article, the website mentioned the author asked him to remove his name. So he left the article up, but without his name.
This other article was published under his other name, and no one who cared put the two together.

There is no witch hunt, that is absurd. There are no witches.
He wrote the article.
He had many years to revise the article, but did not, even though it was published and promoted constantly.

Its not that complicated. He wrote it, and published it, so it STANDS ON THAT ALONE.

Anyone who becomes a senior executive in a non-profit or public organization has to be responsible for their own behavior.
And besides, what about all the Lucifer crap? A non-profit organization chose a public leader, who's main article is some ridiculous unreadable diatribe about Lucifer??

Who's fault is that?

And what about the other critics of cryonics, who have been chased off the face of the earth, by those with the resources to do so?

"I imagine this as being a lot like an old fashioned coin sorter--the one where you pour loose change into a slot, shake the container, and the pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters stack into the different sized slots.

By doing a series of ever more extreme thought experiments, possibly one can do a selection process analogous to the coin sorter."

I think what corboy said also can apply to the cryonics critics!

For personal reasons I have decided to stay out of this one for the time being - Its messing with my head and causing me to chop and change every 5 minutes.

I told Melody why - I think she understands and sympathises.

I can't be objective - simply can't - I am still very confused.

I will get there in the end - your messages are helping.

Paedophilia and the defence of paedophilia is a very emotive subject.
In the UK we have had instances of baying mobs whipped up by tabloid coverage trying to exact vigilante justice and succeeding in some instances. There have been people wrongly identified as paedophiles who have been hounded by vigilantes.

It takes a particularly arrogant predator to defend his right to predation so openly and to attempt to make a political stance of it by publishing and selling his views on the internet.
Most people have some difficulty imagining that kind of breathtaking arrogance can exist in another human being until we come face to face with it and coming face to face with it is very disturbing indeed.

I think that each person is the one best placed to decide how far into this very murky pond he steps, and that each person needs to put their own mental and emotional welfare first, before any other considerations.

Quote
The Anticult
Max More's contortions are ridiculous.

And what about the other critics of cryonics, who have been chased off the face of the earth, by those with the resources to do so?

Yes, what about Johnson? In richiekgb's post about his conversation with Max More he writes "innocent until proven guilty." I guess that only applies to the CEO of Alcor. Too bad that same courtesy was not extended to Johnson by certain Alcor members. Personally I hope he got his hands on Max More's article and I hope he forwards it to his network media friends in New York. Maybe he'll get it to Howard Stern; they seemed to have hit it off last year. Any of us could run to the media with this story and it would be ignored, however Johnson has media clout.

I am sure you read these postings Mr. Johnson...Food for thought.

Max More will be making a statement over this weekend - I will post the link as soon as it goes up.

I hope to be pleasently surpised - but we will have to see what he says.



still confused....

richie wrote: "Max More will be making a statement over this weekend - I will post the link as soon as it goes up. "

Must be one of those three day weekends then?

Should be up in the next 24 hours

I heard its been done and I will be sent the link ASAP (when its live)

In the Meantime: [www.imminst.org]

Mike "darwin" Fedowitz - call to arms for Cryonics Activists.

48 hours later, still no post from Max. But they did close off the imminst forum on the "call to arms".