Actually I've wondered if life expectancy will start to decrease due to food supply and lack of health care.
I had to change my diet for for health issues, and now I see that 90% of the grocery store is bad for you. I can't unlearn what I learned :(
My grandparents lived to the very end of their 80s. They did a lot of gardening and ate pretty healthy. Not sure many people do things like that anymore.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/mike-rowe-warns-declining-work-ethic-younger-generatiActor who has presumably never worked a real job in life criticizes others for not working hard enough, lol. Very insightful. Stick to promoting trades which is actually one of the things I respect him for, being a welder and welding inspector and coming from a trades background. Playing the political blame game and saying younger people don’t have work ethic really is not the way to go. The way I see it is companies are not offering enough to keep the younger generations at the table. When rent, groceries, gas etc is unaffordable and you are expecting younger people to work for $18 an hour and sacrifice 40 plus hours a week, you are part of the problem. 10 years ago that was a lot of money, the world has moved on. If companies want more young blood, they need to accommodate. I sure wish I wouldn’t have had to work as hard as I have to get where I am. Good on the kids for not accepting the bullshit crumbs that they are being offered.
Funny that all the younger folks I come across that have good pay and a pathway to advancement have no problem working. It’s almost like employers need to offer more.
When were wages for young people ever "high enough", or rent, groceries, gas etc. ever "affordable"?
I left Ohio after high school in 1975 and hitchhiked out to California - "the land of dreams!". My very first job, making the minimum wage of $2.00 an hour, was working the night shift at a self-service gas station. I was robbed at gunpoint one night, so I quit the next day. I quickly found a better (and safer) job.
I never went to college but I always could find a job - usually hard, physical work but it "paid the bills". Eventually, one learns skills and gains knowledge so you start getting better jobs, where you not only can "pay the bills" but can save money, too.
Fast foward fifty years, and I was finally able to retire recently. Monthly, I collect Social Security (which I paid for from each paycheck over the years), a union pension check (which I paid for via union dues from each paycheck) and I also managed to save and invest over the years.
Besides young people complaining about it, I do get tired of people of my generation complaining that "the government doesn't take care of them"! You receive Social Security based on how much you paid in over the decades, and it never was intended to be a retiree's sole income. It's one's responsibilty to save up money over the decades for one's own retirement.
Life has never been easy!
In the 1970s just about anyone who had a full-time job could buy a house.* What happened? Shareholder capitalism (and St. Ronald) along with materialism (i.e., the three-car-garage cul-de-sac home replacing the 950-square-foot home in new construction).
I think the biggest beef people have with the boomers is they're the last generation to secure the American Dream simply by working hard. From the 1980s to the aughts, the cost-of-living outpaced income and most of our labor goes towards filling the pockets of faceless people we'll never meet. Is that entirely the fault of boomers? Not really. As pointed out in the first response, generational labels are almost entirely about generalizations..."latch-key kids" of Gen X, Millennials (or is it Gen Y) being softened by helicopter parents. There's truth in these, but they're not universal.
*PS and this is the way it ought to be. But most of us like to look down on people too much...
Post edited by OnWis97 on
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Actually I've wondered if life expectancy will start to decrease due to food supply and lack of health care.
I had to change my diet for for health issues, and now I see that 90% of the grocery store is bad for you. I can't unlearn what I learned :(
My grandparents lived to the very end of their 80s. They did a lot of gardening and ate pretty healthy. Not sure many people do things like that anymore.
When you look at our weight/obesity levels over the last few decades, I have to think we'll see a decline. Between that, the cost of healthcare and the general stress of most people living entire lifetimes without economic security, I think it'll go down.
1995 Milwaukee 1998 Alpine, Alpine 2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston 2004 Boston, Boston 2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty) 2011 Alpine, Alpine 2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin 2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,267
Actually I've wondered if life expectancy will start to decrease due to food supply and lack of health care.
I had to change my diet for for health issues, and now I see that 90% of the grocery store is bad for you. I can't unlearn what I learned :(
My grandparents lived to the very end of their 80s. They did a lot of gardening and ate pretty healthy. Not sure many people do things like that anymore.
I read somewhere that life expectancy is, indeed, lowering a bit. In this country, having environmental protections being dismantled left and right is not helping.
"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,267
Actually I've wondered if life expectancy will start to decrease due to food supply and lack of health care.
I had to change my diet for for health issues, and now I see that 90% of the grocery store is bad for you. I can't unlearn what I learned :(
My grandparents lived to the very end of their 80s. They did a lot of gardening and ate pretty healthy. Not sure many people do things like that anymore.
When you look at our weight/obesity levels over the last few decades, I have to think we'll see a decline. Between that, the cost of healthcare and the general stress of most people living entire lifetimes without economic security, I think it'll go down.
So sad. We could have done so much better. I remember once hearing that more and more people will live to be centenarians. No so likely now. I guess the new radical right must hate life.
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
"every society honours its live conformists and its dead troublemakers"
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,267
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
I thought you became more conservative when older?
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
I thought you became more conservative when older?
My theory is folks go through an arc. Start out young, idealistic and liberal. Get to prime earning years and see what the gov't is taking in taxes and turn conservative. Reach retirement age and need the gov't handouts so turn back to liberal.
This weekend we rock Portland
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,267
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
I thought you became more conservative when older?
Yes and no.
If you work at it, when you become older you become more like a well aged wine with food pairing: balanced and sensible.
As you age, and continue to age, you eventually become musty, off kilter, and senseless.
Trust me...
"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,267
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
I thought you became more conservative when older?
My theory is folks go through an arc. Start out young, idealistic and liberal. Get to prime earning years and see what the gov't is taking in taxes and turn conservative. Reach retirement age and need the gov't handouts so turn back to liberal.
What hand outs? Oh, you mean the money you paid into the system for all those years while working your butt off.
I know you don't mean the savings and investing intelligent people do during their productive working years.
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
I thought you became more conservative when older?
My theory is folks go through an arc. Start out young, idealistic and liberal. Get to prime earning years and see what the gov't is taking in taxes and turn conservative. Reach retirement age and need the gov't handouts so turn back to liberal.
He who isn't a Liberal when young has no heart. He who doesn't become more Conservative as they age, has no brain.
Labels are just language. A way to describe a group. If the majority of that group did some shitty things or shitty things happened on their watch, so to speak, the entire group gets lumped in.
Some people intend to lump the entire group, like when someone says “the left”, others don’t, like when we say “boomers fucked us”. 😂
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
I thought you became more conservative when older?
My theory is folks go through an arc. Start out young, idealistic and liberal. Get to prime earning years and see what the gov't is taking in taxes and turn conservative. Reach retirement age and need the gov't handouts so turn back to liberal.
He who isn't a Liberal when young has no heart. He who doesn't become more Conservative as they age, has no brain.
He who makes rude generalizations isn’t worth listening to.
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EV
Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
It isn’t a case of becoming more conservative as you age. The definition of liberal changes as you age.
Maybe it’s 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, I just don’t think my values change, the values if the ideological spectrum move.
Interesting notion.
I don't think my moral values have changed. The only thing that really changed was my attitude about money. When I was young, I couldn't hold on to it very long. I didn't care. Any I had, I spent. Sometimes that meant having nothing but rice and ketchup to eat. Now I'm more cautious with money because I don't have decades left to save it up.
Not because I'm a so-called "baby-boomer", or because I want to rant and rave at younger people, particularly so-called "gen-Z" people (don'tcha hate those labels?!)
No, more because I'm curious as to why it is such a thing these days. (If you don't think so, Google "Geb Z Ageism.)
A woman who is a friend and someone I used to work with who is 75 told me she is really bummed because she hears about it all the time. She has a used book store and still works as hard as she can to keep going. She recalled how when she and my wife were younger they struggled to make ends meet for many years. At that time, this friend lived it what had been a chicken coop and my wife at that time was living in a cabin that had no heat or running water. I had similar experiences. I lived in a converted chicken coop for a couple of years when I was younger. I also lived in my van for a few years. I've never lived "high on the hog".
That same friend keeps hearing young people say they are angry with "boomers" because they had it so easy and took everything and now everything is fucked up for them now because of us. She also told me that a lot of these people voted for d.t. because he (himself born the first year of baby boomer generation) is going to make everything better for them.
Yes, I know there were some very career oriented and greedy boomers in Silicon Valley, but that's not how all of us were/are. I don't understand all this hatred. Shit, I'm almost 74 and it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work again soon. WTF? I supposedly "have everything"? I don't get it.
It’s obviously very generalized, but there is some truth in that. look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
Obviously not everyone, but a lot of people you’re age (you’re the exact age as my dad and he’s be befitted from it) were able to work and retire comfortably at 55 and live another 25-30 years or more. Anyone who is 40 now has no dream to retire as early as 55. We have to keep working to fund the pensions of those who did.
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,267
Not because I'm a so-called "baby-boomer", or because I want to rant and rave at younger people, particularly so-called "gen-Z" people (don'tcha hate those labels?!)
No, more because I'm curious as to why it is such a thing these days. (If you don't think so, Google "Geb Z Ageism.)
A woman who is a friend and someone I used to work with who is 75 told me she is really bummed because she hears about it all the time. She has a used book store and still works as hard as she can to keep going. She recalled how when she and my wife were younger they struggled to make ends meet for many years. At that time, this friend lived it what had been a chicken coop and my wife at that time was living in a cabin that had no heat or running water. I had similar experiences. I lived in a converted chicken coop for a couple of years when I was younger. I also lived in my van for a few years. I've never lived "high on the hog".
That same friend keeps hearing young people say they are angry with "boomers" because they had it so easy and took everything and now everything is fucked up for them now because of us. She also told me that a lot of these people voted for d.t. because he (himself born the first year of baby boomer generation) is going to make everything better for them.
Yes, I know there were some very career oriented and greedy boomers in Silicon Valley, but that's not how all of us were/are. I don't understand all this hatred. Shit, I'm almost 74 and it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work again soon. WTF? I supposedly "have everything"? I don't get it.
It’s obviously very generalized, but there is some truth in that. look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
Obviously not everyone, but a lot of people you’re age (you’re the exact age as my dad and he’s be befitted from it) were able to work and retire comfortably at 55 and live another 25-30 years or more. Anyone who is 40 now has no dream to retire as early as 55. We have to keep working to fund the pensions of those who did.
I must be hanging with the wrong peer crowd, lol. I only know one person my age who retired at age 55. I know several people my age who still work, mostly part-time, but if they didn't, they would have a difficult time of it. For example:
CB: Age 77. Gets work where and when able to, has had to move several time due to cost of rent.
N: Age 76. Works hard four days a week. Often comments on how hard it is to keep going.
C: Age 72. Works very part time, but has bills to pay and does not get much social security.
J: Age 82. Finally had to quit two years ago. Can't drive any more and is now living with one of the kids.
B. Mid 70's. Saw him working at Office Max a few years ago. Doing OK, but not great.
Me: Age 73, soon to be 74. Went back to work part time to pay for major unexpected car expenses from last month.
Honest to God, I don't know who all these people are that you say retired at 55. Must be nice. But honestly, that' not the norm.
Sorry bud, but none of what you say is a reason for ageism/ hatred of older people (not saying you do). I rest my case.
Not because I'm a so-called "baby-boomer", or because I want to rant and rave at younger people, particularly so-called "gen-Z" people (don'tcha hate those labels?!)
No, more because I'm curious as to why it is such a thing these days. (If you don't think so, Google "Geb Z Ageism.)
A woman who is a friend and someone I used to work with who is 75 told me she is really bummed because she hears about it all the time. She has a used book store and still works as hard as she can to keep going. She recalled how when she and my wife were younger they struggled to make ends meet for many years. At that time, this friend lived it what had been a chicken coop and my wife at that time was living in a cabin that had no heat or running water. I had similar experiences. I lived in a converted chicken coop for a couple of years when I was younger. I also lived in my van for a few years. I've never lived "high on the hog".
That same friend keeps hearing young people say they are angry with "boomers" because they had it so easy and took everything and now everything is fucked up for them now because of us. She also told me that a lot of these people voted for d.t. because he (himself born the first year of baby boomer generation) is going to make everything better for them.
Yes, I know there were some very career oriented and greedy boomers in Silicon Valley, but that's not how all of us were/are. I don't understand all this hatred. Shit, I'm almost 74 and it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work again soon. WTF? I supposedly "have everything"? I don't get it.
It’s obviously very generalized, but there is some truth in that. look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
Obviously not everyone, but a lot of people you’re age (you’re the exact age as my dad and he’s be befitted from it) were able to work and retire comfortably at 55 and live another 25-30 years or more. Anyone who is 40 now has no dream to retire as early as 55. We have to keep working to fund the pensions of those who did.
I must be hanging with the wrong peer crowd, lol. I only know one person my age who retired at age 55. I know several people my age who still work, mostly part-time, but if they didn't, they would have a difficult time of it. For example:
CB: Age 77. Gets work where and when able to, has had to move several time due to cost of rent.
N: Age 76. Works hard four days a week. Often comments on how hard it is to keep going.
C: Age 72. Works very part time, but has bills to pay and does not get much social security.
J: Age 82. Finally had to quit two years ago. Can't drive any more and is now living with one of the kids.
B. Mid 70's. Saw him working at Office Max a few years ago. Doing OK, but not great.
Me: Age 73, soon to be 74. Went back to work part time to pay for major unexpected car expenses from last month.
Honest to God, I don't know who all these people are that you say retired at 55. Must be nice. But honestly, that' not the norm.
Sorry bud, but none of what you say is a reason for ageism/ hatred of older people (not saying you do). I rest my case.
Of course it’s not an excuse for ageism, and I noticed you pointed out that’s not what I was saying.
I’d say it’s definitely the minority, but not that uncommon for boomers to have retired from 55-60. Those who got to work early and stayed in a single career definitely had a chance. My dad joined the sheriff dept at 22 and retired at 55 with 100% (or, I think actually 99%) pension. My uncle joined the dept around the same time and retired a year or so later. I have friends whose parents are teachers, and if they started their career at 22,23,24 were able to retire before 60. Teachers at my school who retire every year, red usually a few in the 55-60 range. Again, those who started right out of college and stuck with the career are able to retire after putting in 30 years. I’m not “ageist” against them. But it is frustrating knowing they are retiring at an earlier age than I will be able to mostly because I am paying more into the system than they had to. I’m paying for their retirement. The reality of the situation is frustrating. They underestimated the cost and the longevity of their retirement, so we’re paying the difference now.
Maybe it’s because I know more law enforcement through family and family friends than most, and through education because of my job, and those are 2 careers with state pensions, I see it more than you do. Unless you’re going into politics and running for sheriff or something, cops don’t work into their 60s. You’re an old cop at 55.
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,267
Not because I'm a so-called "baby-boomer", or because I want to rant and rave at younger people, particularly so-called "gen-Z" people (don'tcha hate those labels?!)
No, more because I'm curious as to why it is such a thing these days. (If you don't think so, Google "Geb Z Ageism.)
A woman who is a friend and someone I used to work with who is 75 told me she is really bummed because she hears about it all the time. She has a used book store and still works as hard as she can to keep going. She recalled how when she and my wife were younger they struggled to make ends meet for many years. At that time, this friend lived it what had been a chicken coop and my wife at that time was living in a cabin that had no heat or running water. I had similar experiences. I lived in a converted chicken coop for a couple of years when I was younger. I also lived in my van for a few years. I've never lived "high on the hog".
That same friend keeps hearing young people say they are angry with "boomers" because they had it so easy and took everything and now everything is fucked up for them now because of us. She also told me that a lot of these people voted for d.t. because he (himself born the first year of baby boomer generation) is going to make everything better for them.
Yes, I know there were some very career oriented and greedy boomers in Silicon Valley, but that's not how all of us were/are. I don't understand all this hatred. Shit, I'm almost 74 and it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work again soon. WTF? I supposedly "have everything"? I don't get it.
It’s obviously very generalized, but there is some truth in that. look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
Obviously not everyone, but a lot of people you’re age (you’re the exact age as my dad and he’s be befitted from it) were able to work and retire comfortably at 55 and live another 25-30 years or more. Anyone who is 40 now has no dream to retire as early as 55. We have to keep working to fund the pensions of those who did.
I must be hanging with the wrong peer crowd, lol. I only know one person my age who retired at age 55. I know several people my age who still work, mostly part-time, but if they didn't, they would have a difficult time of it. For example:
CB: Age 77. Gets work where and when able to, has had to move several time due to cost of rent.
N: Age 76. Works hard four days a week. Often comments on how hard it is to keep going.
C: Age 72. Works very part time, but has bills to pay and does not get much social security.
J: Age 82. Finally had to quit two years ago. Can't drive any more and is now living with one of the kids.
B. Mid 70's. Saw him working at Office Max a few years ago. Doing OK, but not great.
Me: Age 73, soon to be 74. Went back to work part time to pay for major unexpected car expenses from last month.
Honest to God, I don't know who all these people are that you say retired at 55. Must be nice. But honestly, that' not the norm.
Sorry bud, but none of what you say is a reason for ageism/ hatred of older people (not saying you do). I rest my case.
Of course it’s not an excuse for ageism, and I noticed you pointed out that’s not what I was saying.
I’d say it’s definitely the minority, but not that uncommon for boomers to have retired from 55-60. Those who got to work early and stayed in a single career definitely had a chance. My dad joined the sheriff dept at 22 and retired at 55 with 100% (or, I think actually 99%) pension. My uncle joined the dept around the same time and retired a year or so later. I have friends whose parents are teachers, and if they started their career at 22,23,24 were able to retire before 60. Teachers at my school who retire every year, red usually a few in the 55-60 range. Again, those who started right out of college and stuck with the career are able to retire after putting in 30 years. I’m not “ageist” against them. But it is frustrating knowing they are retiring at an earlier age than I will be able to mostly because I am paying more into the system than they had to. I’m paying for their retirement. The reality of the situation is frustrating. They underestimated the cost and the longevity of their retirement, so we’re paying the difference now.
Maybe it’s because I know more law enforcement through family and family friends than most, and through education because of my job, and those are 2 careers with state pensions, I see it more than you do. Unless you’re going into politics and running for sheriff or something, cops don’t work into their 60s. You’re an old cop at 55.
Look, I am saddened that the future outlook is not as good as it could/ should be for younger generations.
But as I said, I'm not accusing you of being ageist. I just think blaming "boomers" as being responsible for difficulties younger generations are having it is too much generalizing. I think an argument could be made for the G.I. generation being just as responsible. They had the longest longevity of any generation. I think an argument cold be made for too many younger generations voting a dictator into the office of president is a part of the problem. Or spending too much money on tattoos and lattes, spending too much time on the cell phone, and every kid needing to have their own TV could be considered reasons.
But I'm not for any of those generalizations. I think the problem is an American People issue.
I'm going to go and relax now. I have to work tomorrow.
Not because I'm a so-called "baby-boomer", or because I want to rant and rave at younger people, particularly so-called "gen-Z" people (don'tcha hate those labels?!)
No, more because I'm curious as to why it is such a thing these days. (If you don't think so, Google "Geb Z Ageism.)
A woman who is a friend and someone I used to work with who is 75 told me she is really bummed because she hears about it all the time. She has a used book store and still works as hard as she can to keep going. She recalled how when she and my wife were younger they struggled to make ends meet for many years. At that time, this friend lived it what had been a chicken coop and my wife at that time was living in a cabin that had no heat or running water. I had similar experiences. I lived in a converted chicken coop for a couple of years when I was younger. I also lived in my van for a few years. I've never lived "high on the hog".
That same friend keeps hearing young people say they are angry with "boomers" because they had it so easy and took everything and now everything is fucked up for them now because of us. She also told me that a lot of these people voted for d.t. because he (himself born the first year of baby boomer generation) is going to make everything better for them.
Yes, I know there were some very career oriented and greedy boomers in Silicon Valley, but that's not how all of us were/are. I don't understand all this hatred. Shit, I'm almost 74 and it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work again soon. WTF? I supposedly "have everything"? I don't get it.
It’s obviously very generalized, but there is some truth in that. look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
Obviously not everyone, but a lot of people you’re age (you’re the exact age as my dad and he’s be befitted from it) were able to work and retire comfortably at 55 and live another 25-30 years or more. Anyone who is 40 now has no dream to retire as early as 55. We have to keep working to fund the pensions of those who did.
I must be hanging with the wrong peer crowd, lol. I only know one person my age who retired at age 55. I know several people my age who still work, mostly part-time, but if they didn't, they would have a difficult time of it. For example:
CB: Age 77. Gets work where and when able to, has had to move several time due to cost of rent.
N: Age 76. Works hard four days a week. Often comments on how hard it is to keep going.
C: Age 72. Works very part time, but has bills to pay and does not get much social security.
J: Age 82. Finally had to quit two years ago. Can't drive any more and is now living with one of the kids.
B. Mid 70's. Saw him working at Office Max a few years ago. Doing OK, but not great.
Me: Age 73, soon to be 74. Went back to work part time to pay for major unexpected car expenses from last month.
Honest to God, I don't know who all these people are that you say retired at 55. Must be nice. But honestly, that' not the norm.
Sorry bud, but none of what you say is a reason for ageism/ hatred of older people (not saying you do). I rest my case.
Of course it’s not an excuse for ageism, and I noticed you pointed out that’s not what I was saying.
I’d say it’s definitely the minority, but not that uncommon for boomers to have retired from 55-60. Those who got to work early and stayed in a single career definitely had a chance. My dad joined the sheriff dept at 22 and retired at 55 with 100% (or, I think actually 99%) pension. My uncle joined the dept around the same time and retired a year or so later. I have friends whose parents are teachers, and if they started their career at 22,23,24 were able to retire before 60. Teachers at my school who retire every year, red usually a few in the 55-60 range. Again, those who started right out of college and stuck with the career are able to retire after putting in 30 years. I’m not “ageist” against them. But it is frustrating knowing they are retiring at an earlier age than I will be able to mostly because I am paying more into the system than they had to. I’m paying for their retirement. The reality of the situation is frustrating. They underestimated the cost and the longevity of their retirement, so we’re paying the difference now.
Maybe it’s because I know more law enforcement through family and family friends than most, and through education because of my job, and those are 2 careers with state pensions, I see it more than you do. Unless you’re going into politics and running for sheriff or something, cops don’t work into their 60s. You’re an old cop at 55.
Look, I am saddened that the future outlook is not as good as it could/ should be for younger generations.
But as I said, I'm not accusing you of being ageist. I just think blaming "boomers" as being responsible for difficulties younger generations are having it is too much generalizing. I think an argument could be made for the G.I. generation being just as responsible. They had the longest longevity of any generation. I think an argument cold be made for too many younger generations voting a dictator into the office of president is a part of the problem. Or spending too much money on tattoos and lattes, spending too much time on the cell phone, and every kid needing to have their own TV could be considered reasons.
But I'm not for any of those generalizations. I think the problem is an American People issue.
I'm going to go and relax now. I have to work tomorrow.
Sorry if I came across as generalizing blame on boomers. It’s not their fault. It’s the ones in charge of financial responsibility for public pension plans underestimated the cost for years. And honestly, being able to retire at 55 and collect a full salary for 30 years seems a little ridiculous and unsustainable. And you are right, younger generations spend too much on Starbucks, new iPhones every other year, etc.
Not because I'm a so-called "baby-boomer", or because I want to rant and rave at younger people, particularly so-called "gen-Z" people (don'tcha hate those labels?!)
No, more because I'm curious as to why it is such a thing these days. (If you don't think so, Google "Geb Z Ageism.)
A woman who is a friend and someone I used to work with who is 75 told me she is really bummed because she hears about it all the time. She has a used book store and still works as hard as she can to keep going. She recalled how when she and my wife were younger they struggled to make ends meet for many years. At that time, this friend lived it what had been a chicken coop and my wife at that time was living in a cabin that had no heat or running water. I had similar experiences. I lived in a converted chicken coop for a couple of years when I was younger. I also lived in my van for a few years. I've never lived "high on the hog".
That same friend keeps hearing young people say they are angry with "boomers" because they had it so easy and took everything and now everything is fucked up for them now because of us. She also told me that a lot of these people voted for d.t. because he (himself born the first year of baby boomer generation) is going to make everything better for them.
Yes, I know there were some very career oriented and greedy boomers in Silicon Valley, but that's not how all of us were/are. I don't understand all this hatred. Shit, I'm almost 74 and it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work again soon. WTF? I supposedly "have everything"? I don't get it.
It’s obviously very generalized, but there is some truth in that. look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
Obviously not everyone, but a lot of people you’re age (you’re the exact age as my dad and he’s be befitted from it) were able to work and retire comfortably at 55 and live another 25-30 years or more. Anyone who is 40 now has no dream to retire as early as 55. We have to keep working to fund the pensions of those who did.
I must be hanging with the wrong peer crowd, lol. I only know one person my age who retired at age 55. I know several people my age who still work, mostly part-time, but if they didn't, they would have a difficult time of it. For example:
CB: Age 77. Gets work where and when able to, has had to move several time due to cost of rent.
N: Age 76. Works hard four days a week. Often comments on how hard it is to keep going.
C: Age 72. Works very part time, but has bills to pay and does not get much social security.
J: Age 82. Finally had to quit two years ago. Can't drive any more and is now living with one of the kids.
B. Mid 70's. Saw him working at Office Max a few years ago. Doing OK, but not great.
Me: Age 73, soon to be 74. Went back to work part time to pay for major unexpected car expenses from last month.
Honest to God, I don't know who all these people are that you say retired at 55. Must be nice. But honestly, that' not the norm.
Sorry bud, but none of what you say is a reason for ageism/ hatred of older people (not saying you do). I rest my case.
Of course it’s not an excuse for ageism, and I noticed you pointed out that’s not what I was saying.
I’d say it’s definitely the minority, but not that uncommon for boomers to have retired from 55-60. Those who got to work early and stayed in a single career definitely had a chance. My dad joined the sheriff dept at 22 and retired at 55 with 100% (or, I think actually 99%) pension. My uncle joined the dept around the same time and retired a year or so later. I have friends whose parents are teachers, and if they started their career at 22,23,24 were able to retire before 60. Teachers at my school who retire every year, red usually a few in the 55-60 range. Again, those who started right out of college and stuck with the career are able to retire after putting in 30 years. I’m not “ageist” against them. But it is frustrating knowing they are retiring at an earlier age than I will be able to mostly because I am paying more into the system than they had to. I’m paying for their retirement. The reality of the situation is frustrating. They underestimated the cost and the longevity of their retirement, so we’re paying the difference now.
Maybe it’s because I know more law enforcement through family and family friends than most, and through education because of my job, and those are 2 careers with state pensions, I see it more than you do. Unless you’re going into politics and running for sheriff or something, cops don’t work into their 60s. You’re an old cop at 55.
Look, I am saddened that the future outlook is not as good as it could/ should be for younger generations.
But as I said, I'm not accusing you of being ageist. I just think blaming "boomers" as being responsible for difficulties younger generations are having it is too much generalizing. I think an argument could be made for the G.I. generation being just as responsible. They had the longest longevity of any generation. I think an argument cold be made for too many younger generations voting a dictator into the office of president is a part of the problem. Or spending too much money on tattoos and lattes, spending too much time on the cell phone, and every kid needing to have their own TV could be considered reasons.
But I'm not for any of those generalizations. I think the problem is an American People issue.
I'm going to go and relax now. I have to work tomorrow.
Sorry if I came across as generalizing blame on boomers. It’s not their fault. It’s the ones in charge of financial responsibility for public pension plans underestimated the cost for years. And honestly, being able to retire at 55 and collect a full salary for 30 years seems a little ridiculous and unsustainable. And you are right, younger generations spend too much on Starbucks, new iPhones every other year, etc.
Back in the nineties, here in NY, you had to “know someone” to get a teaching job in a good school district. So these government paying jobs were never accessible to the masses. The excuse for the absurdly above market pension, was they will never make what you can make in a private business. But the truth is a lot of teaching jobs, not all, are recession proof. The teachers I knew were getting solid raises during recession years while those of us working for private business, were getting laid off or skipping multiple years of getting raises. Yes, the pensions were ridiculous back then but that does not mean we can afford the same pensions now.
Still to this day teachers I know in their 50s, can retire younger than people in private business more often. And they could climb to the highest reaches of the salary ladder, without having a target on their back, like exists in private business. If you’re young, and you’re a teacher, come to New York and try to get in the union.
As far as one advantage people have who are younger now is DEI is creating a huge problem for older workers now. When companies decide to make decisions based on diversity, someone has to pay the price to facilitate their quota system. And usually that someone looks a lot like a man who’s playing for Pearl Jam, if they are wearing a golf or dress shirt
” Diversity targets in hiring are specific, measurable, and achievable goals set to increase the representation of underrepresented groups within an organization. These targets can be focused on race, gender, or any other group, aiming to create a more inclusive and diverse workforce”
Not because I'm a so-called "baby-boomer", or because I want to rant and rave at younger people, particularly so-called "gen-Z" people (don'tcha hate those labels?!)
No, more because I'm curious as to why it is such a thing these days. (If you don't think so, Google "Geb Z Ageism.)
A woman who is a friend and someone I used to work with who is 75 told me she is really bummed because she hears about it all the time. She has a used book store and still works as hard as she can to keep going. She recalled how when she and my wife were younger they struggled to make ends meet for many years. At that time, this friend lived it what had been a chicken coop and my wife at that time was living in a cabin that had no heat or running water. I had similar experiences. I lived in a converted chicken coop for a couple of years when I was younger. I also lived in my van for a few years. I've never lived "high on the hog".
That same friend keeps hearing young people say they are angry with "boomers" because they had it so easy and took everything and now everything is fucked up for them now because of us. She also told me that a lot of these people voted for d.t. because he (himself born the first year of baby boomer generation) is going to make everything better for them.
Yes, I know there were some very career oriented and greedy boomers in Silicon Valley, but that's not how all of us were/are. I don't understand all this hatred. Shit, I'm almost 74 and it looks like I'm going to have to go back to work again soon. WTF? I supposedly "have everything"? I don't get it.
It’s obviously very generalized, but there is some truth in that. look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
Obviously not everyone, but a lot of people you’re age (you’re the exact age as my dad and he’s be befitted from it) were able to work and retire comfortably at 55 and live another 25-30 years or more. Anyone who is 40 now has no dream to retire as early as 55. We have to keep working to fund the pensions of those who did.
I must be hanging with the wrong peer crowd, lol. I only know one person my age who retired at age 55. I know several people my age who still work, mostly part-time, but if they didn't, they would have a difficult time of it. For example:
CB: Age 77. Gets work where and when able to, has had to move several time due to cost of rent.
N: Age 76. Works hard four days a week. Often comments on how hard it is to keep going.
C: Age 72. Works very part time, but has bills to pay and does not get much social security.
J: Age 82. Finally had to quit two years ago. Can't drive any more and is now living with one of the kids.
B. Mid 70's. Saw him working at Office Max a few years ago. Doing OK, but not great.
Me: Age 73, soon to be 74. Went back to work part time to pay for major unexpected car expenses from last month.
Honest to God, I don't know who all these people are that you say retired at 55. Must be nice. But honestly, that' not the norm.
Sorry bud, but none of what you say is a reason for ageism/ hatred of older people (not saying you do). I rest my case.
Of course it’s not an excuse for ageism, and I noticed you pointed out that’s not what I was saying.
I’d say it’s definitely the minority, but not that uncommon for boomers to have retired from 55-60. Those who got to work early and stayed in a single career definitely had a chance. My dad joined the sheriff dept at 22 and retired at 55 with 100% (or, I think actually 99%) pension. My uncle joined the dept around the same time and retired a year or so later. I have friends whose parents are teachers, and if they started their career at 22,23,24 were able to retire before 60. Teachers at my school who retire every year, red usually a few in the 55-60 range. Again, those who started right out of college and stuck with the career are able to retire after putting in 30 years. I’m not “ageist” against them. But it is frustrating knowing they are retiring at an earlier age than I will be able to mostly because I am paying more into the system than they had to. I’m paying for their retirement. The reality of the situation is frustrating. They underestimated the cost and the longevity of their retirement, so we’re paying the difference now.
Maybe it’s because I know more law enforcement through family and family friends than most, and through education because of my job, and those are 2 careers with state pensions, I see it more than you do. Unless you’re going into politics and running for sheriff or something, cops don’t work into their 60s. You’re an old cop at 55.
Look, I am saddened that the future outlook is not as good as it could/ should be for younger generations.
But as I said, I'm not accusing you of being ageist. I just think blaming "boomers" as being responsible for difficulties younger generations are having it is too much generalizing. I think an argument could be made for the G.I. generation being just as responsible. They had the longest longevity of any generation. I think an argument cold be made for too many younger generations voting a dictator into the office of president is a part of the problem. Or spending too much money on tattoos and lattes, spending too much time on the cell phone, and every kid needing to have their own TV could be considered reasons.
But I'm not for any of those generalizations. I think the problem is an American People issue.
I'm going to go and relax now. I have to work tomorrow.
Sorry if I came across as generalizing blame on boomers. It’s not their fault. It’s the ones in charge of financial responsibility for public pension plans underestimated the cost for years. And honestly, being able to retire at 55 and collect a full salary for 30 years seems a little ridiculous and unsustainable. And you are right, younger generations spend too much on Starbucks, new iPhones every other year, etc.
Back in the nineties, here in NY, you had to “know someone” to get a teaching job in a good school district. So these government paying jobs were never accessible to the masses. The excuse for the absurdly above market pension, was they will never make what you can make in a private business. But the truth is a lot of teaching jobs, not all, are recession proof. The teachers I knew were getting solid raises during recession years while those of us working for private business, were getting laid off or skipping multiple years of getting raises. Yes, the pensions were ridiculous back then but that does not mean we can afford the same pensions now.
Still to this day teachers I know in their 50s, can retire younger than people in private business more often. And they could climb to the highest reaches of the salary ladder, without having a target on their back, like exists in private business. If you’re young, and you’re a teacher, come to New York and try to get in the union.
As far as one advantage people have who are younger now is DEI is creating a huge problem for older workers now. When companies decide to make decisions based on diversity, someone has to pay the price to facilitate their quota system. And usually that someone looks a lot like a man who’s playing for Pearl Jam, if they are wearing a golf or dress shirt
Teachers retiring now, for a large part, have better pensions than those who will be retiring in 10 or 20 years. If you search retirement systems for teachers by state, many will say teachers hired before X will get 2.75% a year, teachers hired after X will receive 2% a year, or something like that. And that date is usually somewhere around 2008-2012. Not only that, but every couple of years we get a notice that they are increasing our contributing by about 0.25% of our pay. They also recalculate how they determine your base salary (average of top 5 years instead of top 2). So they’re taking more out of newer teachers and giving them less in return.
As far as climbing that ladder, I don’t know what it was like in NY when other states had freezes. But many other states had pay freezes, where you did not advance on the salary schedule for several years. Or if they did, they took it out in other ways. In 2020 my district was bragging that they were the only district in the area that didn’t have a pay freeze, but they reduced benefit contribution by $500/month, which was significantly larger than any raise I ever got. My pay actually went down by like $300/month after that “raise.” But on paper they announced to the entire community that teachers got raises that year. My wife taught in NY before we met. Her first day as a teacher was 9/10/2001 in Brooklyn, just on the other side of the bridge. More than half of her paycheck would go towards rent. And she rented a 2 bedroom apt with 3 people. It was a terrible school and got assaulted more than once. She left after 2 or 3 years. So there’s a reason their salary is higher than most. She does have teacher friends still there who got into good schools. They weren’t connected, just got lucky I guess. But they all have spouses in finance and make far more than any teacher.
Comments
I think the biggest beef people have with the boomers is they're the last generation to secure the American Dream simply by working hard. From the 1980s to the aughts, the cost-of-living outpaced income and most of our labor goes towards filling the pockets of faceless people we'll never meet. Is that entirely the fault of boomers? Not really. As pointed out in the first response, generational labels are almost entirely about generalizations..."latch-key kids" of Gen X, Millennials (or is it Gen Y) being softened by helicopter parents. There's truth in these, but they're not universal.
*PS and this is the way it ought to be. But most of us like to look down on people too much...
2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
It's apparently even dropping now for other reasons:
Why life expectancy in the US is falling - Harvard Health
2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
Oh man, that's sad!
I read somewhere that life expectancy is, indeed, lowering a bit. In this country, having environmental protections being dismantled left and right is not helping.
So sad. We could have done so much better. I remember once hearing that more and more people will live to be centenarians. No so likely now. I guess the new radical right must hate life.
... or, "All boomers are elitist radical leftist commies."
2003: 4/29 Albany, 5/2 Buffalo, 7/9 MSG 2 2006: 5/12 Albany, 6/3 East Rutherford 2
2008: 6/27 Hartford 2009: 10/27 Philadelphia 1 2010: 5/15 Hartford, 5/21 MSG 2
2013: 10/15 Worcester 1, 10/25 Hartford 2014: 10/1 Cincinnati
2018: 9/2 Fenway 1
2024: 9/3 MSG 1, 9/4 MSG 2 , 9/15 Fenway 1, 9/17 Fenway 2
EV
Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
look at pensions for public employees. Teachers retiring now are getting a much better pension that I will in 20 years. I’m paying more into it and getting less out of it. That’s the case for a lot of public pension plans.
I’d say it’s definitely the minority, but not that uncommon for boomers to have retired from 55-60. Those who got to work early and stayed in a single career definitely had a chance. My dad joined the sheriff dept at 22 and retired at 55 with 100% (or, I think actually 99%) pension. My uncle joined the dept around the same time and retired a year or so later.
I have friends whose parents are teachers, and if they started their career at 22,23,24 were able to retire before 60.
Teachers at my school who retire every year, red usually a few in the 55-60 range. Again, those who started right out of college and stuck with the career are able to retire after putting in 30 years.
I’m not “ageist” against them. But it is frustrating knowing they are retiring at an earlier age than I will be able to mostly because I am paying more into the system than they had to. I’m paying for their retirement. The reality of the situation is frustrating. They underestimated the cost and the longevity of their retirement, so we’re paying the difference now.
Maybe it’s because I know more law enforcement through family and family friends than most, and through education because of my job, and those are 2 careers with state pensions, I see it more than you do. Unless you’re going into politics and running for sheriff or something, cops don’t work into their 60s. You’re an old cop at 55.
And you are right, younger generations spend too much on Starbucks, new iPhones every other year, etc.
As far as one advantage people have who are younger now is DEI is creating a huge problem for older workers now. When companies decide to make decisions based on diversity, someone has to pay the price to facilitate their quota system. And usually that someone looks a lot like a man who’s playing for Pearl Jam, if they are wearing a golf or dress shirt
” Diversity targets in hiring are specific, measurable, and achievable goals set to increase the representation of underrepresented groups within an organization. These targets can be focused on race, gender, or any other group, aiming to create a more inclusive and diverse workforce”
If you search retirement systems for teachers by state, many will say teachers hired before X will get 2.75% a year, teachers hired after X will receive 2% a year, or something like that. And that date is usually somewhere around 2008-2012. Not only that, but every couple of years we get a notice that they are increasing our contributing by about 0.25% of our pay. They also recalculate how they determine your base salary (average of top 5 years instead of top 2). So they’re taking more out of newer teachers and giving them less in return.
As far as climbing that ladder, I don’t know what it was like in NY when other states had freezes. But many other states had pay freezes, where you did not advance on the salary schedule for several years. Or if they did, they took it out in other ways. In 2020 my district was bragging that they were the only district in the area that didn’t have a pay freeze, but they reduced benefit contribution by $500/month, which was significantly larger than any raise I ever got. My pay actually went down by like $300/month after that “raise.” But on paper they announced to the entire community that teachers got raises that year.
My wife taught in NY before we met. Her first day as a teacher was 9/10/2001 in Brooklyn, just on the other side of the bridge. More than half of her paycheck would go towards rent. And she rented a 2 bedroom apt with 3 people. It was a terrible school and got assaulted more than once. She left after 2 or 3 years. So there’s a reason their salary is higher than most.
She does have teacher friends still there who got into good schools. They weren’t connected, just got lucky I guess. But they all have spouses in finance and make far more than any teacher.