I think it depends. I'm over 65 and retired, but I've started a seasonal business which pays pretty well. And I do it because I enjoy it and the pay is good. So for me, it's a good thing. But for some, they're working because they have to. Probably NOT as good.
Finance capitalism inevitably turns everyone into wage slaves. The incremental nature of such a system means eventual degradation of child labour laws, retirement benefits, pension guarantees. All are expendable in pursuit of "efficiency."
"Ben Collins thinks old people shouldn't be paid a fair wage." Which is true (shouldn't be getting a wage, shouldn't need to work), but also something an absurdist magat would use as a click-baity attack.
It’s interesting. I have a lot of clients that continue to work beyond retirement because they’re bored otherwise. A lot less golfing and rocking chair enthusiasts than there used to be. Just my anecdotal experience.
Oh, I see it's this. "By the numbers: Last year, the typical 65+ worker earned $22 an hour, up from $13 (in 2022 dollars) in 1987. That's about $3 less than the average for those age 25-64, and the number includes wages of full- and part-time workers." I guess "higher wages" isn't from seniority.
On the one hand, you have people who cannot afford to retire, which is horrible.
On the other hand you have awful boomers who can afford to retire but will never leave us alone, they are a curse that will haunt us until we die early deaths.
If they want to work and have decades of skill, then it should be their choice. Now, I would be all for lowering the full-benefits retirement age to 60. You know, just to give those younger folks a chance to work and watch me enjoy my life.
I’d like to know how many *have* to work versus want to. Seems like a lot of older folk these days keep working as sort of a hobby, and not for the money. I’m sure the number who can’t retire has gone way up too of course.
I have worked 50 years. I can't stop working. I have to eat and pay bills. I can't afford food most of the time. Maybe instead of complaining about seniors working, have a look at why we have to. And my wages have not F*ing gone up THEY HAVE GONE DOWN. The $2/day offshore thieves have seen to that.
I presume their work ethic and feelings of responsibility will guide them in making the decision. Grumbling, as I remember a young co-worker w/ a DP PhD asking my boss to assign me to 'mentor' him.
I don't know, Ben, I've seen several articles interviewing elderly lawyers, writers, and columnists about how they'd never want to give up their work and presumably cashiers, trash collectors, and warehouse workers don't want to, either.
It’s not the job, it’s the lack of the job that would cause the everything loss. I can love the work I’m doing and still need to do it to have enough dough to live on. Heck I’d love to not work at all at age 74, but that’s not in the cards for me. I’m thankful that I love what I have to do.
The key is to keep talking about how Social Security is going to be bankrupt and to never, ever undo a tax cut. That is the comforting salve that keeps olds going to the grindstone
I'd be curious to see the ratio of "institutionalized" professionals over time. Like my mom is pretty well-paid and doesn't even like her job that much, but every time we try to convince her to retire she says she's afraid she'll just drop dead after she's "lost her purpose".
No it isn’t. I am over 65 and I work at the best job I’ve had and make more money that I have before because age discrimination is not a factor where I work. No one wants to be put out to pasture.
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One reason I know for sure is because the full Social Security age is now age 67.
It's currently at 66yrs, 2mo, and won't be at 67 until 2027.
That line SHOULD go up, through 2027.
Very disingenuous chart...🤷♂️
On the other hand you have awful boomers who can afford to retire but will never leave us alone, they are a curse that will haunt us until we die early deaths.