Please put down your coffee...

[DesiGirl]

There is small difference in Working and being Productive. Working so that you manage to pay bills and having to do it in your 60s, 70s, 80s Awesome!!!!
Well to each his own, I believe in getting off the treadmill and smelling the coffee (even if I have to substitute home-made instead of starbucks)

 

[traineeinvestor]

The examples are all straw men - there's a world of difference in doing something because you love doing it and calling it work (e.g. aging rock stars) and w*rking because the alternative living on a diet of beans and rice.

I'm quite happy to be uncool (and very good at it).

 

[Onward]

It's cool & smart to work longer because it increases consumer demand.

The author needs to read some Dilbert.

 

[marko]

I was cool for too long. Now I'm not cool. Or smart.

Maybe.

I think.

 

[W2R]

The author needs to read some Dilbert.

+1 So many of us don't even need to read Dilbert, because we have lived it. Somehow his career sounds closer to Keith Richard's career than Dilbert's, and also his career sounds pretty much wound down. An "adjunct senior fellow" on the CFR, plus sitting on various illustrious boards doesn't sound especially rigorous compared with the careers tha some of us left. Plus, if he got his BA in 1973, assuming he was 22 at that time, then he is barely 60 himself. He may feel differently in a few years.

Michael W. Hodin, Ph.D. is Managing Director, The High Lantern Group, Adjunct Senior Fellow at The Council on Foreign Relations, and Executive Director of The Global Coalition on Aging.
From 1976-80, Mike was Legislative Assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. During this period he was also a Visiting Scholar at Brookings Institution, on U.S. Foreign Economic Policy. He was a senior executive at Pfizer, Inc. for 30 years, leading its International Public Affairs and Policy Operations.
Mike is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He sits on the Boards of the Foreign Policy Association, BCIU, The NYC Blood Center, Harris Manchester College, Oxford University, UK, and Emigrant Savings Bank.
Mike holds a BA, cum laude, Cornell University (1973), M.Sc.in International Relations from The London School of Economics and Political Science (1975), and M.Phil and Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University (1979).

 

[Chuckanut]

I think the aging rock stars, and other people with fame and great careers may still work because:

1.) they don't have to if they don't want to

2.) they can call the shots as to when, where and the conditions they work under.

 

[REWahoo]

I think the aging rock stars, and other people with fame and great careers may still work because:

1.) they don't have to if they don't want to

2.) they can call the shots as to when, where and the conditions they work under.

And don't forget...

3.) they can't let go of the spotlight.

 

[Nords]

Plus:

4. "I used to have a drug problem, but now I make enough money to afford it."
-- attributed to David Lee Roth

 

[MichaelB]

I think the aging rock stars, and other people with fame and great careers may still work because:

1.) they don't have to if they don't want to

2.) they can call the shots as to when, where and the conditions they work under.

I think most that work do because they need the money, are addicted to money, or need the fame.

 

[Dawg52]

Well if it's cool to fit in, that's me. With the exception of working.

 

[mystang52]

I gave a similar reply on another thread, a while back: it's naive to think many older workers have a choice to continue working. Presuming health is not an issue, good ol' fashioned age discrimination manages to come into play. And then, good luck trying to land another job.

 

[Walt34]

Yet another article on that topic:

Bottom Line - Tough times keep older workers from retiring

I can think of several relatives who will be working for as long as they're physically able and not by choice. The Spendarina SIL is, according to both me and DW, in for a rude awakening when she decides she wants to retire and move to Sarasota, FL and dine out every day, cruising in her convertible. This is the couple who are in their mid 50s and now will probably have to refinance the house to pay for a new roof on it.

We think the reality is they're going to be eating a lot of rice 'n beans.

 

[Chuckanut]

I have to think that by the time one reaches the 60's, if tough economic times keep one from retiring, then one's retirement plans probably were built on too much sand and not enough rock. No doubt there are exceptions.

 

[Chuckanut]

Spendarina

Spendarina - another great word!!!

 

[Retire2013]

Most of the people I know who are or will work into their 70's, took a lot more time off in their earlier years than I did. They also spent a higher percentage of their earnings on having one heck of a good time. My 2 cents.

+1

 

[HFWR]

The examples are all straw men - there's a world of difference in doing something because you love doing it and calling it work (e.g. aging rock stars) and w*rking because the alternative living on a diet of beans and rice.

I'm quite happy to be uncool (and very good at it).

Could you pass the beans, please...

 

[jannyf]

If normal is broke, then I LOVE being weird! (and uncool)