Are we retiring into a more hostile world (than our parents)?

[pullin]

After the gauntlet of child-rearing, high-school, and the myriad tasks of getting kids launched, we began to relax and enjoy our time as empty-nesters and (soon to be) retirees. But after watching and reading various media I discover that to many, we've become the enemy.

Just a few quick examples from a Google search of "baby boomer". These appeared on the first page.

Baby Boomer's are what's wrong with the World [Washington Post]
How the Baby Boomers Destroyed Everything [Globe]
Who Destroyed the Economy; The case against the Baby Boomers [The Atlantic]
Are Baby Boomers a Generation of Sociopaths? [HuffPo]

Add to this the apparent epidemic of violent political protests and it paints a worrisome picture of the future, at least to me.

I want to avoid any politics surrounding this, but I'd like to ask the board the following questions regarding the effects:

1. Are you noticing this increased hostility level? Or am I paying too much attention to malcontents with keyboards?
2. If you think this is a potential or real problem, have you made any changes in your activities or plans?

Answering my own questions:
1. Obviously yes.
2. Maybe. We've definitely changed vacation plans to avoid certain cities. We're reconsidering our age-in-place decision as the city builds outward and encompasses us. This brings their problems closer and we've been looking at far-flung houses with a realtor.

My apologies for an unpleasant subject, but I assume much of the board's membership falls in the baby-boomer cohort and I'm curious what the more experienced members (retirees) think.

 

[Nemo2]

My father was 10 years old when WWI started; I was born in the middle of WWII.

There was a slight sense of hostility in the air during both periods.

 

[candrew]

Speaking only for DW & I

Q1. No

Q2. No

My grandmother always claimed that every generation is easier on the subsequent one in terms of rearing their kids. To that end I can say that I've been witness to a number of Baby Boomer acquaintances and former w*rk colleagues who do their fair share of sniveling about life circumstances.

 

[JoeWras]

Same old, same old. Remember, oh say, 1969? What were those Baby Boomers saying about their Greatest Generation parents?

Turn off the TV, get away from the computer (especially Facebook) and take a walk in the beautiful summer. Does wonders to connect with your neighbors one on one, all generations.

 

[Onward]

Or am I paying too much attention to malcontents with keyboards?

Yes, I believe you are.

 

[HarveyS]

I agree with JoeWras. Take a minute and write down the good things you see each day -- there are plenty!

 

[Another Reader]

Politicians and "journalists" always need someone to blame to attract votes and/or an audience. Blaming some other group of people for their problems makes a lot of people feel better about their plight and it sells advertising and buys votes.

 

[DrRoy]

I'm the right age but I saved to much to fit the profile of the Globe article. I think a lot of it was just human nature and the situation at the time, not something unique to boomers.

 

[Marita40]

It seems like a hostile political and news climate to me. Is it more hostile than other times in the past? Given human nature, I'd say about the same. But now we have a constant barrage of world events, news, "fake" news, etc. coming from all directions.

My big experiment this year was to disconnect rather radically from media sources, beginning with TV but also radio, internet media, even movies. I will glance at headlines and I do enjoy a couple hours reading the Sunday paper each week. I participate in a few online forums, like this one, that stress no politics. That's it. I do not feel less informed and I feel a lot calmer, less frenetic. There's more time for friends, neighborhood, reading, projects.

In my opinion, so much media is meant to keep us anxious and on edge. To me much of it indeed is "fake". Why let it control or even bother you?

 

[gauss]

Never have heard of such a climate brewing. Never have been more relaxed in my life.

But hey - I am technically not a boomer -- I just relate to them. Missed that train by a very narrow window.

-gauss

 

[HGTVfan]

1. I think there is increased hostility in the virtual world - online, television and radio - but I haven't seen it in the "real" world.

2. Right now I'm unable to travel (caring for an elderly parent) but I wouldn't hesitate to travel anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. I would hesitate to travel in the Middle East even though Petra in Jordan and the pyramids in Egypt are on my bucket list. Hope that region calms down.

 

[Badger]

Good news doesn't sell newspapers and TV ads. We are also being bombarded by instant news reporting. "The Medium IS the Message" Marshall McLuhan.

Cheers!

 

[braumeister]

I see no reason to worry; do you?

 

[ls99]

It would have been a hostile world to this boomer by proxy (I was born in Hungary), if stayed in retirement in the Baltimore metro area. Late DW had the good sense to agree to live in sleepy small town in western PA. Live is pleasant and good here, providing I ignore the news and online hyperventilating on various happenings. IMHO Baltimore was a hell hole long before boomers got to retirement age.

 

[growing_older]

1. I agree that there is increased hostility. Often boomers get lumped into discussions of income inequality as the bad guys. Likewise, there seems to be increasing hostility between generations as a growing elderly population is more expensive and the younger generations are rebelling against generational transfer payments like social security and medical insurance. It does seem like increasingly all the ills of the world are being blamed on "selfish" boomers.

2. I have only made the same plans I was already making to be as self reliant as possible. I have no idea how political decisions may or may not be made, but I don't want to be dependent on a program like Social Security that might be modified based only on politics. I haven't experienced any impact on travel or lifestyle, but then I was never going to plan to travel to dangerous places to begin with.

 

[Out of Steam]

One of the things we are retiring into is a more disaster-prone world. It's harder to put thousands at risk from a building fire or plane crash in a lightly populated area.

Increased population density and climate change keep people on edge, and make us more angry and less secure in our homes and lives.

 

[Sojourner]

1. Are you noticing this increased hostility level? Or am I paying too much attention to malcontents with keyboards?

2. If you think this is a potential or real problem, have you made any changes in your activities or plans?

There's a difference between virtual hostility that one might encounter online (or even just by passively observing a live political protest in a random city you're visiting) and physically-threatening hostility. There's clearly a lot of virtual hostility and it seems to be increasing each year, but that's to be expected in an increasingly digitally interconnected world. Personally, I don't find any of this online hostility or vitriol to be threatening or damaging to me directly in any real way, so I just try to steer clear of it and avoid the unpleasantness whenever possible.

As for actual, physical hostility, the data all show that we live in the safest, most peaceful time in human history. Taking all possible threats to our lives and limbs into account, each one of us is safer now in 2017 than we would have been at any time in the past. Obviously, there are localized exceptions to this (e.g., don't go to Syria right now), but on average we live remarkably safe lives compared to our ancestors.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I like to rant about such topics. 1- More Hostile: Yes, and I'll expand on that, it is definitely less civil. 2- Have I made different plans : Yes. I think there is a problem with my entire state. I dont have enough money to not care what"they" are going to tax me on next. And I have too much that "they" want to take more from me. Im going to move to a tax free state soon.

 

[tps7742]

Same old, same old. Remember, oh say, 1969? What were those Baby Boomers saying about their Greatest Generation parents?

Turn off the TV, get away from the computer (especially Facebook) and take a walk in the beautiful summer. Does wonders to connect with your neighbors one on one, all generations.

I agree with these statements above. We have this 24/7 instant news that appears to always foucus on the negative aspects of this old world.

 

[Nightcap]

There was an old newspaper adage that said that the correct answer to any headline question was usually "No."

No, Boomers are not a unique generation of greedy narcissists. No, Millennials are not a unique generation of feckless free spirits. All sweeping generalizations are false, including this one.

I don't see a looming problem, and have changed nothing. I do my best to be on good terms with my neighbors. There's not much else anyone can do.

 

[Hermit]

I think I will stop reading this thread... Too much hostility being discussed.

 

[Red Badger]

Good news doesn't sell newspapers and TV ads. We are also being bombarded by instant news reporting. "The Medium IS the Message" Marshall McLuhan.

Cheers!

+1.

In spite of the constant and pervasive presence of gravity, thousands of planes landed last week without incident. Not a word of this in the "news." I've also heard there's collusion taking place between ATC and pilots. This needs to be investigated!!

 

[RetiredGypsy]

No. There are just as many articles about millennial being impossible to work with and destroying the economy because they won't buy everything under the sun.

Us versus them. Something that's been around since literally the dawn of man. At least now there isn't much tribal warfare over differences.

Packs of roaming 30-somethings are more likely to be looking for an Apple store and food than tearing and feathering you until you apologize for maybe having a pension and terrible 80s decor in the only houses they could afford that your generation is retiring from. I should know. I am a minnenial.

But seriously. Wood paneling on every wall? What were you all thinking?

 

[kcowan]

We have never experienced any degradation in our daily life after 14 years retired.

The main thing that has changed is the 24 hour news coverage of the same sensational things repeatedly and it is impossible to avoid except by opting out of all sources.

I sometimes watch France24 just to get less sensational coverage and less repetition.

 

[Lcountz]

Turn OFF all boob boxes.

Seriously.

Try it for a week. Couple with a walk somewhere pleasant WITHOUT being connected.

Retirement is THE BEST thing that ever happened to me.

If you find yourself ALWAYS looking for the worm in the apple, you will find one.

And will have missed the entire rest of the fruit!!!

Fear sells and keeps otherwise sane thinkers on edge for next disaster. It also controls the masses.

Just imagine if every time you turned on the idiot box, they were talking about rainbows and unicorns and pleasant music played in the background, instead of the scripted, blaring, sombre dirge theme music on "the nooooze".....excuse me, the "BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!" ( in huge black font on emergency red background!!!!! OMG!!!! PANIC!!!)

Unless a nuclear bomb drops near or on my house, my plan is to carry on with my retirement. If I can NOT do anything about it, I WILL NOT waste one minute worrying about it.

That's WHY I retired...to get away from "If you don't do THIS..." and the "or else!!"

Retire if you can afford to. You will LOVE IT.

Rant over.