Retirement, an offensive word (newspaper article)

[okapi]

Right now I"m going on my back porch to drink this ale a friend wanted me to try.First off I am participating in society by being a consumer of goods.Second I"m making a sacrifice, testing for a friend.E.R. is full of many important things you can do.This lady Cheers

[traineeinvestor]

Quote:

Today, there is no place for the term retirement when talking about people in their 50s, 60s and beyond. The act of withdrawing from society and concluding your activities is not a choice to be made, but a fact of cognitive and physical health.

Since when did retirement necessitate withdrawing from society?

And if someone did want to withdraw from society, why shouldn't they be free to choose to do so whenever they wish?

The article is based on a false premise that retirement means spending your days in sedentary isolation.

It's utter rubbish.

[Katsmeow]

FWIW, I think she is somewhat inartfully trying to say that the term "retirement" doesn't accurately describe people like, well, most of the retired people here including those who are very active or who don't work for pay but do volunteer work or do some limited part time, or seasonal work.

She seems to want to use the word "retirement" more to refer to people like my 88 year old mother who is not very active and couldn't work any longer.

I don't get the idea that she is opposed to the idea of someone voluntarily quitting work and doing other things that aren't work related but she thinks that "retirement" isn't the right word for it.

[Danmar]

@Katsmeow. Yes you have the gist of her point. OK so what would be a better term to describe what most of us are? Actively retired? I don't know, maybe it would be better to come up with a better term for those that are really over the hill?

[Frugalityisthenewblack]

What's funny is that she is a younger person, giving older people advice...isn't it supposed to be the other way around as wisdom comes with age?. You have to acknowledge she has tapped into the huge demographic to trademark her term "legacy careers"...and presumably make $$$ consulting.
As for my "legacy career" it was/is for the most part the daily grind doing various things to earn money for money for food, shelter,savings etc. Whatever my boss at the time directed. I call it a job.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar @Katsmeow. Yes you have the gist of her point. OK so what would be a better term to describe what most of us are? Actively retired? I don't know, maybe it would be better to come up with a better term for those that are really over the hill?

Professionally disengaged?

[Frugalityisthenewblack]

The "sheetburner" comment reminded me of the many times I would try to engage my (mostly male) coworkers with some serious discussion, only for the dialogue to be sabatoged by a gratuitous, politically-incorrect response which would leave the others convulsing with laughter and me rolling my eyes in exasperation . I laughed out loud when I read it. Guess I am missing the daily blue-collar banter now that I have been on sabbatical.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frugalityisthenewblack The "sheetburner" comment reminded me of the many times I would try to engage my (mostly male) coworkers with some serious discussion, only for the dialogue to be sabatoged by a gratuitous, politically-incorrect response which would leave the others convulsing with laughter and me rolling my eyes in exasperation . I laughed out loud when I read it. Guess I am missing the daily blue-collar banter now that I have been on sabbatical.

Well, at least you usually took it in good spirits! Just think what the poor working women of the 70's endured. Some men (unfortunately I was one of them) never grew up and could repeat those type of comments on a daily basis and laugh just as hard as if it was the first time it was said in some variation 20 years ago. At least I had the sense to do it around women who didn't mind and were willing to dish it back.

[rescueme]

Too bad there wasen't a comments section on the article (of course, maybe I'm wrong).

I would have refered to this thread on our thoughts on what she wrote and provide some "constructive criticsm" (based upon reality), rather than the BS she thinks needs to be considered as the truth in today's world.

[Chuckanut]

Since the writer of the article helps people to find their next career, I hope she can be instrumental in helping the many 50+ people who have suffered from age discrimination find a new career. If she wants fewer able bodied people to retire, then I suggest helping older people find meaningful, decent paying work, that doesn't require a 25 year old body to do. Now, that would be putting her money where her mouth is.

[Amethyst]

I was one of those women (1980's, actually). And I got my revenge by time I was 30, at which time some of those jerks had to work for me.

Amethyst

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan Well, at least you usually took it in good spirits! Just think what the poor working women of the 70's endured. Some men (unfortunately I was one of them) never grew up and could repeat those type of comments on a daily basis and laugh just as hard as if it was the first time it was said in some variation 20 years ago. At least I had the sense to do it around women who didn't mind and were willing to dish it back.

[Frugalityisthenewblack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst I was one of those women (1980's, actually). And I got my revenge by time I was 30, at which time some of those jerks had to work for me. Amethyst

I started late 80s, and I stayed (happily) at the journeyman level, one of the reasons I didn't take advancement opportunities is that I thought as difficult as it was sometimes working with certain individuals....having them work FOR me would be worse!

[MooreBonds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut Since the writer of the article helps people to find their next career, I hope she can be instrumental in helping the many 50+ people who have suffered from age discrimination find a new career. If she wants fewer able bodied people to retire, then I suggest helping older people find meaningful, decent paying work, that doesn't require a 25 year old body to do. Now, that would be putting her money where her mouth is.

I'm sure her profit-driven motive milk-of-human-kindness approach, completely selfish selfless interest in helping people find work will only lead her to suggest an opening with the highest amount of finder's fee/commission self gratification and self worth to the employee.

[Amethyst]

Know what you mean - although it was interesting how some of the former "jerks" adapted quickly, and became excellent employees, once their brains un-fried from the shock of learning that I actually knew stuff.

Amethyst

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frugalityisthenewblack I started late 80s, and I stayed (happily) at the journeyman level, one of the reasons I didn't take advancement opportunities is that I thought as difficult as it was sometimes working with certain individuals....having them work FOR me would be worse!

[flyfishnevada]

Sorry, I don't trust anyone that has trademarked the term "Legacy Careers". She's selling something to all those folks that are afraid they might get bored in retirement. Withdrawing from paid work isn't the same as withdrawing from society and she's being a little disingenuous trying to say it is.

I do agree the term "retirement" as classically defined doesn't fit what most of us are doing. Terms change though and until someone comes up with a better word that isn't trademarked, it will do.

[Chuckanut]

She's got the right idea. Just sing this song and get with the spirit!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9vdCOMPndY

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko Her point seems to be that when you 'retire' you withdraw and no longer contribute to society. As far as offensive....that photo.

I think she should have used a photo of Olympia Snowe... or Tina Turner. Or maybe Keith Richards.

When I see a blog post whose photo & chart take up more column inches than the text-- and when they start the post with a Webster's definition-- then I think "high-school journalism assignment".

Personally, these days I'm contributing far more to society than my working days when I was lurking in the North Atlantic ready to destroy the Soviets and Red Chinese with ICBMs.

[clifp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Personally, these days I'm contributing far more to society than my working days when I was lurking in the North Atlantic ready to destroy the Soviets and Red Chinese with ICBMs.

I don't know about that. It seems me that the presence of those subs probably had a big deterrence effect of some crazy commie leaders starting WW3.

I am quite sure early retirement in post apocalyptic word be very different and any discussion of survival rates would have an entirely different context.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clifp I don't know about that. It seems me that the presence of those subs probably had a big deterrence effect of some crazy commie leaders starting WW3. I am quite sure early retirement in post apocalyptic word be very different and any discussion of survival rates would have an entirely different context.

I sure hope so. In a weird Dr. Strangelove sort of way, we felt like we were doing an important job!

Of course when you're doing your 120th drill of the patrol at 2:30 AM on a Sunday, you just want to launch everything right now so that you can get a little more sleep before you have to take the morning watch...

[Brett_Cameron]

This (the article) is another attempt to try to set a definition of a word or term (retire,retired, retirement) back to a previous definition. IMHO, this is a futile exercise once a new meaning of a word has become a common usage. People will use the language and words as they please. Another example is the word "gay". Different times, different meanings, different usage. People are just people.