People are living longer, so they should work longer- right? (federal, years)
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The media tells us we are all living longer. There has also been lots of news stories about the glories of working until your 70s. It use to be the media loved to talk about the glories of early retirement but their narrative has changed and now they glorify people who work in their retirement. Their logic is: People are living longer so they should work longer.
On an intellectual and emotional analysis, what do you think about the viewpoint that because people are living longer, they should work full time longer?
I don't think that most people are wanted in the workforce after about age 55. Many employers do everything they can to get older employees to leave, including laying them off.
I am now 70. I am so thankful I did not have to work until age 65, 67 or more to retire. While I don't think I am worn out now, I do think I was worn down. It gets harder to work when one gets past 55. At least it did for me. DH found it hard at the end as well.
It is interesting that "experts" advise us to work as long as possible, but economic forces push us to retire.
And, the demands of the younger generation notwithstanding, there is a smaller percentage of working age adults in the work force now than in decades. Many, many younger workers are in jail or simply not working. At least that is what I hear. So, there are already fewer workers supporting more retirees.
You can make an argument for retiring early or retiring late. I think it is up to the individual and his or her circumstances.
Apparently you are unaware of the correlation between Human Adenovirus 36 and obesity. And the fact that Human Adenovirus 36 is not the only virus known to be associated with obesity, its just the one that has been most studied in the USA.
The virus causes damage to the metabolic system that results in your glands telling your body to store fat at inappropriate times.
The "obesity crisis" exactly correlates with the increasing prevalence of antibodies to the virus in the bloodstream in the general population.
Time to give up the last acceptable form of bigotry - the denigration, dehumanization, and revilement of "fat"
As for your incorrect understanding of the way SS is funded - the truth of the matter is that however many "updates" you think there have been to the SS tax, it has NOT kept up with inflation.
Seriously. 23 updates in 80 years, even if that were factual, doesn't come close to it keeping pace with inflation.
He may be uncouth3, but he isn't wrong.
Many of us have desk jobs these days. I got up at 7:15 this morning. Aside from a few steps I took to the restroom and the fridge when I woke up in the middle of the night, I had less than 500 steps by noon. That's walking around the house this morning, getting in my car, car to office building, and probably one break in the morning. I could literally do less than 1000 steps and get through a day.
I see lots of staff in the same sedentary job situation I'm in bring in Hardee's and McDonald's biscuits in the morning, along with a can of classic Coke loaded with HFCS from home. That could easily be 1000 calories by the time they get in at 8. You'll often see those same people with fast food take in at lunch.
We're fortunate in the sense that we have a paved city trail behind the office which runs for miles. If you walk across the KMart lot beside our office, eat at McAllisters Deli in the next shopping center, then walk around the back of the shopping center on the paved trail back to the office, that's 1.5 miles with a healthy lunch if you choose. You can order, have your food, and have eaten in thirty minutes. If you go outside of the noon lunch hour, there is an Olive Garden, Chili's, Fazoli's, and Buffalo Wild Wings that are generally easy to get in and out of, and I can walk to each of them.
Almost no one in my office takes advantage of these walking opportunities. People are unbelievably sedentary anymore. We drive to work, sit all day, then come home and sit more in front of the tube or PC. It's no wonder we're fat.
I have two family members who plan to work till 70, so it's possible. New medicine prolongs life so it's possible. I don't envy them but they have desk job.
Last edited by NewbieHere; 01-10-2017 at 11:14 PM..
I know one thing: when I retire and get my pension (at which point I hope to have 4-5 properties paid off or paying for themselves), I am not going back to work! Note, this should all happen before I'm 50 based on the current path that I'm on.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Working or Retiring should not be the ONLY answers, there are so many 'better' things to do with your 'experienced' life, that will also help humanity / your community.
If you want to work, by all means keep it up,
US would be FAR ahead offering stuff like tax credits and healthcare to citizens who participate in training the subsequent generations. Or... those who would (and could) restore WPA projects that are falling in disrepair.
So many great opportunities, so little vision (on the part of US gov)
should worker longer or could work longer are two different issues . retirement was never a right , it is a privileged for those who can afford not to work any more .
if one can work and is underfunded working longer can be the equal of saving 800- 1 million additional dollars . whether they could or would is a personal choice .
The media tells us we are all living longer. There has also been lots of news stories about the glories of working until your 70s. It use to be the media loved to talk about the glories of early retirement but their narrative has changed and now they glorify people who work in their retirement. Their logic is: People are living longer so they should work longer.
On an intellectual and emotional analysis, what do you think about the viewpoint that because people are living longer, they should work full time longer?
And do you think the most Americans have the energy and general heath to work full time into their late 60s and early 70s?
I'd agree ONLY if:
1. Everyone drove correctly (Not drinking, using drugs, road raging etc)
2. Genetics were changed so all of us live to 100+ (No cancer, diabetes. Would like to live to 110 and then drop dead no lingering illness)
3. Everyone is fit and gets exercise and quit smoking, drinking to excess.
OK, that's my choice.
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