I have never really understood the concept of retiring at 60. What if you really enjoy your job and actually get better at it even after this golden number? People in creative, HR and advisory professions get better with years in these fields. At 60, if I am in good physical and mental condition, and don't see or show any signs of hanging up my boots, I may want to continue and actually get better at what I do. Three to four decades of experience brings great insight into the field. Employers will always benefit from all that experience, plus the connections and network created over years. I have spent hours chatting up with elderly people, and am only amazed at why I am the only recipient of the insight and knowledge.
Traditionally, retiring, or being made to retire, has other psychological effects. Even youthful and energetic people are made to feel old, which I have always thought was unfair. This is followed by making one feel the need for support from others around, making one feel helpless and dependent. Let retirement be an individual option. People in their youth can be made to feel old and helpless anyway. It's all in the head.
Let's say we take 'retirement age' to 70. That way, 60 becomes the new 50. We are psyched into feeling younger and being accepted as part of the contributing population. This brings new energy to society, lesser strain in health and medical resources. If you feel younger, you feel less dependent.
Hey I may think differently when I reach 60. But I will approach that age differently. If I want to continue in my field for the rest of my life well past 60, I'll do that. Working from home, increasing bandwidth and other forms of communication tech are only paving the way for knowledge dissemination, irrespective of who it comes from. So why are we not tapping this huge resource - a grand evolved mindscape of people who have accumulated the wealth over the years, and can only offer so much more? I say we can reach pinnacles in our expertise levels, if we take forth the senior knowledge base to the next level.
Traditionally, retiring, or being made to retire, has other psychological effects. Even youthful and energetic people are made to feel old, which I have always thought was unfair. This is followed by making one feel the need for support from others around, making one feel helpless and dependent. Let retirement be an individual option. People in their youth can be made to feel old and helpless anyway. It's all in the head.
Let's say we take 'retirement age' to 70. That way, 60 becomes the new 50. We are psyched into feeling younger and being accepted as part of the contributing population. This brings new energy to society, lesser strain in health and medical resources. If you feel younger, you feel less dependent.
Hey I may think differently when I reach 60. But I will approach that age differently. If I want to continue in my field for the rest of my life well past 60, I'll do that. Working from home, increasing bandwidth and other forms of communication tech are only paving the way for knowledge dissemination, irrespective of who it comes from. So why are we not tapping this huge resource - a grand evolved mindscape of people who have accumulated the wealth over the years, and can only offer so much more? I say we can reach pinnacles in our expertise levels, if we take forth the senior knowledge base to the next level.
