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OP has likely never been hungry. Never slept on a matress on the floor in a roach infested studio. Never looked for work in a freezing snowstorm wearing just a thin sweater and a raincoat. If he had, he'd not be questioning why he has to work. And retirement is enjoyed by millions who have planned and saved for it.
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Originally Posted by ocnjgirl
OP is not writing about retirement, he's unhappy with the state of life, in having to work (in his words, "be a slave" then retire then die. I think the Clyde story was to make a point to poster to give him another way to look at life and working and make him feel better about where he is in life in having to work.
Life isn't "set up this way" as a "system". What does that even mean? 1960's "the man!"? LOL
Adam and Eve ate an apple. Whoops!
Alternatively you can live like a caveman, go hunt all day, make fire, and live in a mountain near water. Skin some dead animal for your shoes/clothes and pick some grass and berries and you're all set.
Not kidding.
That's called living and breathing. Your choice how elaborate you want to make it. I guess you're unaware of all the failed communes including our nation's pilgrims who had to change their "systems" to account for the quality of LAZY in human nature.
And who's "slaving"? There are 95 million people out of the workforce.
Oh wait. That would be ME. Working my entire life so that I have to pay for birth control for 30 year old Ivy League law students.
I guess you're right /sarc
How come you don't care that you're paying for their Viagra? I don't see any Christian organization having problems with that.
I don't understand why that is the huge issue. Birth control is cheap. Acne medicine costs more. What is the possible difference, aside from simply "I don't approve" judgement?
Why don't you start a campaign to stop employer health plans to stop paying for penicillin when people get STDs? Should that be optional too? Whatever a boss deems moral or immoral, that is how health care should be portioned to people? It doesn't even make sense, because it costs you FAR more to pay for the birth of a baby.
Every year I get older, the more unwanted I am in the workforce. Reality is most places don't want an old person. I have to work as much as I can now before I lose my current job because I will never find a job that pays as much as this one. I'm getting into the undesirable age zone. Younger people cost less and there's more of an upside. My free time comes on my off days, vacation, and stats. People have it worse. We can't all live like trust fund babies.
Mine will likely be the same. But I don't like that it is. If I move to a cheaper area, then I will be less dependent on it. If I retire in the expensive area where I live, then I will need that pension plus my investment portfolio. My general worldview is that less dependence on big centralized systems (money, the power grid, etc.) is a good thing. I'm far from that ideal now, but I always think about how vulnerable people in urban areas really are..
I also have considered moving to a cheaper area.. right now I am looking at North Carolina. But, again, tricky. I don't know if I will get there and change my mind. But I feel like I have to move because I just think it is crazy for an elder to live any place where for 4 months out of the year you have a risk of slipping on ice or having to deal with a power outage in cold weather. The cost of living here is so much higher due to snow. Not only in my condo fee but taxes. It is STUNNING how cheap those are in places that don't have snow.
In addition since I am building equity, I will get a large boost from the difference that I sell my place for and what I buy in North Carolina. Right now it would be about 100K.
I continue to take scouting trips to see if I like the area.
I also hope to start a part time business when I retire... just dabbling in real estate investing.
We can all probably tell a tale of a co-worker who delayed retirement, and then dropped dead a few months after retiring. I have one of those stories myself. We remember them because they are quite remarkable. Why? because they are not the norm. For every guy that drops two weeks after retiring there are probably a hundred who DIDN'T drop dead until years later.
Nail hit squarely on the head. I wonder if all the posters telling those stories even realize how meaningless they are. By following the news we could all come up with a story about someone who dropped dead at age 50. Does that mean no one should work past age 50? It's so ludicrous.
Maybe Clyde didn't want to be home alone with his wife? My wife and I are retired for 9 years. We don't miss work. We each have our own activities and interests, but are together at home or out together most of the time. It takes some imagination to keep active during retirement. I retired at 59, was home alone (my wife hadn't retired yet) for a year, then went back to work for 2 years. At 62, I was retired and my wife was too. Saw no reason to work anymore. Retirement reminds me of being a kid on summer vacation. You found thing to do. They didn't come to you.
I don't think so...
What he saw is their retired circle of friends living a lifestyle and going down fast...
Golf, dining and drinking... starting about 11 am... he had lost his purpose... moved clear across the country... didn't have any grand kids and one son who had a very successful career in Southern California...
He and is wife were always a lot of fun... had lots of parties where my parents and kids attended... World Series, Super Bowl... Warriors Championships... etc... were sure to be hosted by them... took us kids many times to see the A's in the company Box Seats.
Going from the executive to a life of leisure was killing him... he had lost his purpose.
Americans glorify the small businessperson...and they provide great services and jobs for others. But to hear people talk, EVERYONE should be doing something like that. Is that even reasonable? Is there such an economy where EVERYONE sells something and no one works to make the stuff that is sold? So if that is impossible, let's all keep it in perspective...not everyone can own their own business without others there to help it run...and not everyone can be the big cheese. And if you think the only worthy people are those who can own or run a business then you are truly naive.
Most in the family circle growing up were small business owners... the notion of a pension, health insurance and company events was all foreign to us.
There was Bob who owned Bob's shoe repair, the corner Nielsen Brother's Garage, Conrad's Filling Station, Melrose Lumber, David with Ace Hardware, Mini the Dry Cleaners, plus all the small grocery and food stores... yes, really Sam the Butcher Shop, Neldham's Bakery, Roberts Tires, Nichol's Insurance, Jacopeti Insurance, Ming's Chinese Take Out, Roses Burgers, Nakamura Florist...
I could go on and on... but growing up in Oakland California was full of small business... almost to a last one NONE of the kids went into the family business... the consensus was long hours and no time off...
Few were Big Cheese operations but most were staffed by family... mostly in Oakland's Laurel and Dimond Districts...
Also many immigrant families in the East Bay... also small business... the local drywall and landscapers are all family operations.
My parents wanted me to work for a big company with big company benefits... for 10 years I ran my own property management company... not the big Cheese but the only Cheese...
In hindsight I would be much better staying the course... I was recruited to work for the local Hospital and the first 5 years really were as advertised... since then not so much... each merger and sale has resulted in continued cutbacks... thank goodness I still kept the Property Management business going!
Nail hit squarely on the head. I wonder if all the posters telling those stories even realize how meaningless they are. By following the news we could all come up with a story about someone who dropped dead at age 50. Does that mean no one should work past age 50? It's so ludicrous.
No as each is different... thing is if you are counting on an active retired life the stats are on your side if you retire early as opposed to later.
As mentioned... the men in my family never retire...
A lot of my friends are retired Oakland Police Officers... they left around age 52-55... most said staying meant working for nothing as their pensions were 90% of pay with lifetime medical... 100k plus with one at 180k...
Why work if the results of your labor mean little?
Debt seems to be the driving force for many. cost of living. I would like to retire by age 62. Do some volunteer work and do things I enjoy. I figured this out many years ago watching older folks working until they die. get out of debt!
there is nothing stopping an "adult" from re-examining options to move to another area...to be content in "living" outside the "modern" world gimmick. Sorry but most folks are zombies never questioning whether they really want to pay into the "conveniences" offered thru modern worldy items. Every day, Every person has that question asked...As if there is no other LIFE or existance to be had.
I feel sorry for the unexamined life....
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It doesn't even make sense, because it costs you FAR more to pay for the birth of a baby.
