Unemployment Isn't a Problem!

[phattonez]

If you're older than 65 (you know, the age at which you think you would be retiring).

This is up 50% over the past decade! 15% of all people aged 65+ are STILL WORKING! Does that look like improvement? Does that look like we are getting wealthier?

Meanwhile, here is the unemployment rate for those aged 15-25.

What a recovery!

 

[ttwtt78640]

Its an improvement over eating Alpo, beans and rice.

 

[Fisher]

I know the horror of it all--people who don't need to be working actually having jobs when they could be living completely off the work of others. Whatever is this world coming to. There ought to be laws against this kind of initiative before it spreads like the plague.

 

[shlunka]

Some people like to work, gives them something to do. My father is 64 now, and has no plans to retire until, as I quote "I'll work until I croak." And no, he has no delusions of the possibility of trans-species identity swaps.

 

[gavinfielder]

Yeah, this is valid. It's why the UK has been focusing so much attention on youth unemployment.

 

[phattonez]

Some people like to work, gives them something to do. My father is 64 now, and has no plans to retire until, as I quote "I'll work until I croak." And no, he has no delusions of the possibility of trans-species identity swaps.

More people like to work when they're older now than they did just 15 years ago? Riiiiight.

 

[phattonez]

I know the horror of it all--people who don't need to be working actually having jobs when they could be living completely off the work of others. Whatever is this world coming to. There ought to be laws against this kind of initiative before it spreads like the plague.

Leisure would be nice!

 

[shlunka]

More people like to work when they're older now than they did just 15 years ago? Riiiiight.

No, I'm just saying the figure of %15 doesn't necessarily mean that all of that %15 doesn't want to be working.

 

[phattonez]

It's interesting to me that in 1990 and 2000 a rise is employment among the retiring age came immediately prior to a recession, yet since 2000 it's been unabated growth.

 

[phattonez]

No, I'm just saying the figure of %15 doesn't necessarily mean that all of that %15 doesn't want to be working.

I'm not saying that anything greater than 0% is indicative of a problem. I'm saying that a 50% rise over the past decade is indicative of a really big problem.

 

[Fisher]

Leisure would be nice!

For some I know who do it, it is the lonely that drives them to do it.

 

[phattonez]

For some I know who do it, it is the lonely that drives them to do it.

So people have grown more lonesome over the past 15 years? That's the source of this? Someone should write a paper about that.

 

[Fisher]

So people have grown more lonesome over the past 15 years? That's the source of this? Someone should write a paper about that.

Feel free. It is no different than the empty-nesters who go back to college.

 

[RDS]

Did the senior citizens save enough for retirement or been living from paycheque to paycheque. As for the young welfare pays better than minimum wages.

 

[imagep]

Some people like to work, gives them something to do. My father is 64 now, and has no plans to retire until, as I quote "I'll work until I croak." And no, he has no delusions of the possibility of trans-species identity swaps.

I imagine that I will be working until the day I am no longer able to. Hopefully by choice and not economic circumstances.

In my industry and local market, most of my competitors are far older than me, many are in their 70s and 80s and still working.

 

[imagep]

Leisure would be nice!

If you enjoy your job, then work can be leisure.

I really can't imagine what I would do with myself if I didn't have at least some meaningful work to do. Maybe I would spend my time volunteering, but that sounds sort of like work to me. Heck, sometimes I feel guilty if I take a staycation.

 

[imagep]

So people have grown more lonesome over the past 15 years? That's the source of this? Someone should write a paper about that.

Maybe working past age 65 has become more socially acceptable. I dunno.

I also wonder that it's insecurity caused by the recession. Older folks may feel that if they are able to work and fortunate enough to have a job, that it's only prudent to continue to work, as if they retire then hit hard times, they might not be able to find another job at all.

 

[phattonez]

Maybe working past age 65 has become more socially acceptable. I dunno.

I also wonder that it's insecurity caused by the recession. Older folks may feel that if they are able to work and fortunate enough to have a job, that it's only prudent to continue to work, as if they retire then hit hard times, they might not be able to find another job at all.

I'm fine if it's what people really want to do, but I have serious doubt that that is the case.

 

[imagep]

I'm fine if it's what people really want to do, but I have serious doubt that that is the case.

So why do you think that more old folks are working?

 

[phattonez]

So why do you think that more old folks are working?

No money to retire.

 

[imagep]

No money to retire.

Most likely.

So could that be a result of middle class incomes not increasing as fast as we have improved our lifestyles? Like as a result of to much borrowing so that this generation could have a better standard of living than their parents did?

 

[phattonez]

Most likely.

So could that be a result of middle class incomes not increasing as fast as we have improved our lifestyles? Like as a result of to much borrowing so that this generation could have a better standard of living than their parents did?

Exactly. I propose that this is due in part to

1. High taxation preventing higher saving rates.
2. Low returns on savings discouraging saving.