Bloomberg says ER bad for your and nation's health

[scrabbler1]

Even when I was working I was half-way there. I always under-consumed. I lived as if I were maybe one generous step above actual poverty. That's how I was able to retire early.

Same here. And when I ERed, I enabled my former company to go out and hire someone else who actually wanted to work for them (and full-time, replacing me, a part-time worker) for the same cost. That's a good thing.

 

[David1961]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people believe that you can't possibly be curious, stay active, or be doing something you are really interested in, unless you are WORKING!

Exactly! While playing golf all the time is "not the answer to everything", is it any worse than going to a job that you dislike every day?

 

[scrabbler1]

If I were still working, at this moment I'd be just boarding my morning train after a likely amd dash for it, making me feel ill. Then, I'd hope to find a rare seat away from one of the many rude, loud cell-phone yakkers which make what could be a rarely comfortable commute into an annoying one.

But instead, I am home posting about how I have not had to make such a trip in more than 4 years. I like this option MUCH more!

 

[HFWR]

Bloomberg is right. FIRE'd people free-ride the system. We don't work and we under consume.

Wow, deja vu of days past on intercst's board...

I'm glad others are willing to take up the slack, since I've never been able to fully "buy in" to consumerism.

So now I'm being selfish by LBYM. Clearly, I can use this to justify to DW why I should go out and buy about $20-$30k in photography gear. Think she'll buy it?

She may buy it, but you'll pay for it...

It never ceases to amaze me how many people believe that you can't possibly be curious, stay active, or be doing something you are really interested in, unless you are WORKING!

+1

 

[Bikerdude]

More fuel.

Retirement and illness: Which causes which? - Encore - MarketWatch

"The best thing about Orszag’s piece is that it links readers to several of the studies that have investigated this premise. The big flaw in the premise, as Orszag acknowledges, is that for many people, illness is the cause of retirement, not the result of it. And since retirees are by definition usually older than the average Joe, the fact that retirees are more likely to have health problems may also reflect the fact that older people simply tend to have more health problems than younger ones. "

Imagine that, old, sick people can't work.

 

[JoeWras]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people believe that you can't possibly be curious, stay active, or be doing something you are really interested in, unless you are WORKING!

+1000

There are some really mixed up people out there. There is so much outside of work I want and will do to stay engaged in life.

And maybe this w*rk thing wouldn't be so darn bad if it wasn't an 24/7 drag. A lot of celebs tend to have a lot of down time. Many working stiffs don't get that time away.

 

[FIREd]

If you are going to quote Martha Stewart you should credit her as your source...

'Don't retire': Martha Stewart

Martha has a new book out, which I bought because I think it is relevant to life in retirement:

Living the Good Long Life: A Practical Guide to Caring for Yourself and Others: Martha Stewart: Amazon.com: Kindle Store

In it, she does write "don't retire" because "works offers an older person the benefits of social engagement and purpose". However, she goes to great lengths to show that a sense of social engagement and purpose can be maintained outside of work, but it does require more effort on your part.

 

[REWahoo]

Martha has a new book out, which I bought because I think it is relevant to life in retirement:

Living the Good Long Life: A Practical Guide to Caring for Yourself and Others: Martha Stewart: Amazon.com: Kindle Store

Does she talk about her efforts to find a man on Match.com?

 

[packrat44]

Bloomberg does not seem to like ER. We have

Retirement Will Kill You - Bloomberg

Researchers at the Institute of Economic Affairs in the U.K. have also recently identified “negative and substantial effects on health from retirement.” Their study found retirement to be associated with a significant increase in clinical depression and a decline in self-assessed health, and that these effects grew larger as the number of years people spent in retirement increased.

I willing to take that risk. The thought of not retiring makes me more depressed.

 

[FIREd]

Does she talk about her efforts to find a man on Match.com?

No, but it could probably go in her "expand your social circle" section.

 

[razztazz]

However, she goes to great lengths to show that a sense of social engagement and purpose can be maintained outside of work, but it does require more effort on your part.

It was all that "social engagement" at work that drove me to retire. Purpose? Let ME worry about that one.

 

[David1961]

When I worked, my "purpose" was to go to an office doing a job that I did not like, working with people who (for the most part) I did not like, and getting almost no credit for a job well done.

 

[FIREd]

It was all that "social engagement" at work that drove me to retire. Purpose? Let ME worry about that one.

I agree (as most people on this forum would). Sure, I was socially engaged at work, as socially engaged as someone can be when locked 8 hours a day in a cubicle farm. It's the kind of "social engagement" I could live without. And I had to get out of bed in the morning in order to report to the man, how's that for "purpose"? Still, some people don't know better. And for some, work does provide those benefits.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

How depressing! Not only that, everyone who retires is either old, or will get old eventually - and that's if they're lucky.

Why, it's a wonder any retired person has a happy thought at all!

Im pretty darned happy doing what I want every day. Even if that means not doing a darn thing.

Afk need to go yell at some kids on my lawn.

 

[Nodak]

If the nanny mayor of New York City has any influence over the company I will be sure to ignore anything they have to say.

 

[LOL!]

As I read Peter Orszag's Bloomberg piece, I kept thinking: Nowadays working prevents people from smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol and participating in some other interesting habits, so when the roadblock presented by working is removed, maybe folks flock to unhealthy behaviors.

Of course, folks around here would not fall into any of those habits and would be going to the gym almost every day.

 

[packrat44]

As I read Peter Orszag's Bloomberg piece, I kept thinking: Nowadays working prevents people from smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol and participating in some other interesting habits, so when the roadblock presented by working is removed, maybe folks flock to unhealthy behaviors.

Of course, folks around here would not fall into any of those habits and would be going to the gym almost every day.

And your point is?

 

[marko]

As I read Peter Orszag's Bloomberg piece, I kept thinking: Nowadays working prevents people from smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol and participating in some other interesting habits, so when the roadblock presented by working is removed, maybe folks flock to unhealthy behaviors.

Of course, folks around here would not fall into any of those habits and would be going to the gym almost every day.

In my case, entertaining was half the job. Drinking, big unhealthy meals, late nights, and jet lag were a constant; it's how we did business. Much healthier now!

 

[antmary]

I thrive when I am socially engaged, etc. I still like to make money with my online business - it's like playing a game. As long as it's fun, I'll still do it.

But, there's a huge difference between that and being chained to a job that is toxic re: unhappy people and having to go to work every day and pretend that I like it.

I am active, but the joy comes in the freedom I feel with choice.

 

[veremchuka]

I generally disagree with anyone who whines about any negative aspect of FIRE. We FIRE when we want and because we can. Personally I would disagree with anything Bloomberg said. If he stated the sun rose in the east I'd know there has been a polar shift. The best thing I could say about him and his opinions is he is the south end of a north bound horse.