Even the use of the word may be a subtle attempt to dissuade people from wanting reti

[urn2bfree]

I guess since I am enjoying my FIRE so much the "tired" part or being retired never occurred to me until a friend mistook a comment someone made about me. (Someone said I looked "retired" and the friend argued that I looked great having mistakenly thought that the other person just said that I looked "tired.")

This got me thinking about the word "retire."
Where does it come from?
Is the use of this sort of negative sounding word an example of Orwellian thought control,a not so subtle framing of reference for something that the establishment wants to discourage?
Am I being paranoid?
Do I have too much time that I am thinking about this?
Does this bother anyone else?

So --the word means to withdraw- from middle French- "tirade again." People also use the phrase to mean to go to bed. The implication is clear- retirement is to leave the action! to go to sleep...I think we can safely say that this is seldom heard as an enCOURAGING word. "COURAGE" and withdrawal do not usually go together.

For me, retirement has been to wake up, to be free to go and do what my heart directs, not anyone else. The only sense I feel I am "withdrawing" is from my back account. Even FIRE, the acronym has some negative connotations as it relates to the act of being forced out of a job. What is interesting is that despite these possible attempts at linguistic propaganda, retirement is still something to which many if not most people aspire. You cannot hide this warm fire under a barrel. This rose by another name still gives off an enticing aroma. While I do think a different word would better reflect the reality of what retirement can be, it certainly does not seem necessary.

I have heard some say "rewire." I get it, but it is still bowing towards the original negative word for me. I am not sure what word would suit, but emancipation or emancipated, certainly feel closer to my experience.

Anybody else think about this?

 

[REWahoo]

Anybody else think about this?

No, but retired people have have to spend their time doing something, and we now know navel gazing is high on your to do list.

 

[misty57]

Interesting observations. Personally, I don't care what they call it; I'm just glad we've "arrived"!!

 

[ggbutcher]

Look it up in Merriam-Webster, 'retire' is used a number of related ways. The common theme seems to be 'to withdraw from'; but now you can play with the word 'withdraw'

I personally feel the word has a proper connotation in our context on this forum. 'Retiring' from work not only has financial considerations, but for a lot of folks, what it means to their sense of contribution and worth when go from participating in a career to 'something else'. Most on this forum seem have a very clear and constructive sense of that 'something else', but not all facing retirement do. If it dissuades folk who are concerned and uncertain about what they're going to replace work with in their life, I think that's okay. You've gotta think through the transition, achieve some sort satisfaction in the outcome.

I know a few folks who fully retired from work without considering this, and they did not find their new situation comfortable for various reasons. FI isn't necessarily the most important thing to consider, IMHO.

 

[Major Tom]

Do I have too much time that I am thinking about this?

Yes, I think so

As long as you feel happy and engaged in the life you have, not too much else matters. Enjoy!

 

[FIREd]

So --the word means to withdraw- from middle French- "tirade again."

The French word itself, "retraite", has a latin origin meaning "pull back" or "withdraw" - retrahere. The english word "retreat" shares the same etymology and has a mostly negative connotation. But perhaps retirement has a negative connotation due to the fact that, throughout most of history, few people retired by choice. People were retired from service when they could no longer physically perform their duties. "Retirees" were probably marginalized and in poor health. Therefore, until fairly recently, retirement was perceived rather negatively.

 

[robnplunder]

If it is any consolation, "fired" sounds even worse, far worse. (No offense to FIREd - Moderator Emeritus )

 

[FIREd]

If it is any consolation, "fired" sounds even worse, far worse. (No offense to FIREd - Moderator Emeritus )

None taken!

 

[Tadpole]

OK, let's just call it rejuvenate.

 

[W2R]

As long as you feel happy and engaged in the life you have, not too much else matters. Enjoy!

+1. It's nice to have a healthy interest in language, as long as it contributes to your happiness in retirement. If not, I'd move on to something that does.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I'm not there yet but emancipated feels like the right word. Being free of the meaningless and uselessness of the workplace politics, yep, emancipation. Working for others is an indentured servitude in which the endpoint is arbitrary and only to serve the needs of the employer, never the employee.

 

[EllisWyatt]

I'm simply calling it my "Graduation" - feel like I'm graduating from the w**kplace into my next phase.

 

[Dash man]

I'm simply calling it my "Graduation" - feel like I'm graduating from the w**kplace into my next phase.

All these posts pondering what is the proper word for our life situation sounds like too much w*rk to me.

 

[Hermit]

... The english word "retreat" shares the same etymology and has a mostly negative connotation...

My first thought of retreat -
from Wikipedia: Retreat (spiritual), a religious or spiritual term for time taken to reflect or meditate.

I guess it is how you think of the word. I've definitely had more time to reflect and meditate since RE.

 

[seraphim]

I've withdrawn from the workforce. Works for me...

 

[ERhoosier]

Always bothered me how society insists on labeling people by stereotypes. A 50-something who is FI after 30+yr megacorp buyout is "retired", but in reality they are no more (or less) "retired" than an uber-wealthy 30-something [-]member of the lucky sperm club[/-] heir whose biggest 'job' in life is deciding whether to cruise on the yacht or play tennis or golf at 'The Club' this afternoon. A 50-something writer/artist/actor/angel investor who just cashed in on their latest big project is not "retired" but still viewed as writer/artist/actor/investor. No one questions when they are "between projects". Folks "between projects" are still invited to office/industry events but "retired" folks are not.... despite fact that some rather successful businesses & charity projects have been started by "retired" folks. Why can't people just be "between projects" rather than pigeonholed as "retired"?

Perhaps "retired" should be "retired" from the dictionary

 

[aja8888]

"My car needs new tires......"

"Well, get it re-tired..."

(same car, new connection to the road).

 

[travelover]

"My car needs new tires......"

"Well, get it re-tired..."

(same car, new connection to the road).

What's old is new again.

 

[seraphim]

I wish...

 

[robnplunder]

Always bothered me how society insists on labeling people by stereotypes. A 50-something who is FI after 30+yr megacorp buyout is "retired", but in reality they are no more (or less) "retired" than an uber-wealthy 30-something [-]member of the lucky sperm club[/-] heir whose biggest 'job' in life is deciding whether to cruise on the yacht or play tennis or golf at 'The Club' this afternoon. A 50-something writer/artist/actor/angel investor who just cashed in on their latest big project is not "retired" but still viewed as writer/artist/actor/investor. No one questions when they are "between projects". Folks "between projects" are still invited to office/industry events but "retired" folks are not.... despite fact that some rather successful businesses & charity projects have been started by "retired" folks. Why can't people just be "between projects" rather than pigeonholed as "retired"?

Perhaps "retired" should be "retired" from the dictionary

Gone! In my dictionary at least. When asked, I will just say that I am an actor.

 

[Brett_Cameron]

Gone! In my dictionary at least. When asked, I will just say that I am an actor.

Love it.

 

[ERhoosier]

Gone! In my dictionary at least. When asked, I will just say that I am an actor.

All the world's a stage, and the people merely players.......

 

[Dcharles]

I sometimes feel guilty saying I retired because that is what old farts do! Ha! I guess I never saw myself as an old fart so the term retire brings forth a perception of an old geezer! That is an image that I greatly detest! Consultant or Actor?

 

[Hermit]

I sometimes feel guilty saying I retired because that is what old farts do! Ha! I guess I never saw myself as an old fart so the term retire brings forth a perception of an old geezer! That is an image that I greatly detest! Consultant or Actor?

I'm a proud honorary employee of "Geezer Trucking Company". Our motto is "We're Old & We're Slow but We're Cheap".
Its a group of retirees from our church that help people move stuff. I'm the kid of the group.

 

[Walt34]

I'm a proud honorary employee of "Geezer Trucking Company". Our motto is "We're Old & We're Slow but We're Cheap".
Its a group of retirees from our church that help people move stuff. I'm the kid of the group.

Sounds like fun, actually. I have many fond memories of helping guys on my shift move (near everybody was in their 20's & 30's and didn't have much money) so the one moving would rent a truck, the whole shift would show up and we'd do the move, usually from an apartment to a SF house.

A lesson learned is that the beer is always served at the destination point, never at the start.