Retirement. A word that seems increasingly abstract and impossible, like a science-fiction concept from a tattered novel. In the classic film Blade Runner, 'retirement' refers to the brutal ritual of future cops executing rogue androids. That version feels more feasible for modern humans than the traditional process of cocktails on the beach between golf games.
As a writer, getting paid can feel like a deus ex machina, a random act of God that lets me pay the electric bill. The idea of saving any income is laughable these days. Such is life in a world with inflation, sky-high fuel prices, and automation of even the most basic tasks. The minute they devise a chatbot to humorously comment on the news, I am fully screwed.
Why Do People Avoid Retirement?
I would not even think about retirement if not for current events. Spanish bullfighter José Antonio Morante de la Puebla returned after a year's retirement to sold-out crowds, only to be horrifically gored. Why give up retirement? Yet many elderly people, especially in Washington, seem to avoid it.
The average age of a US congressperson remains high: representatives at 57.5 years and senators at 64.7. Retirement age for full social security benefits is 67. Senator Chuck Grassley is 92 and recently underwent gallstone surgery; Bernie Sanders is 84. What motivates them to keep working? Is it ego, financial gain, or service? I cannot speculate, but I wonder why being trotted around Washington is preferable to anything else.
Donald Trump, turning 80, continues to reject aging. During a speech, he claimed he is not a senior citizen. For many baby boomers and Gen X Americans, it is advantageous to move the goalposts on being decrepit.
The Longevity Obsession
An opinion article in the New York Times by Ken Stern, founder of the Longevity Project, suggests that being 65 is not 'old' because age is defined by how easily you can play sports. To be shamed on the pickleball court is a low indignity for any high-net-worth individual. Should that be the test for retirement?
The concept of longevity is big business. Books, podcasts, and TikTok videos about staying young abound. Wealthy 'biohackers' like Bryan Johnson want to live forever, but to what end? To go to a job every day? To make more money that will be useless when the treatments stop working?
In Blade Runner, replicants wanted to live a few days longer not to work, but to find purpose and freedom. Retirement, both in reality and fantasy, offers a chance to experience life without burdens. That anyone would reject that option is inexplicable.
But maybe I will figure it out when I can afford to pay my electric bill on time. In the meantime, I am taking up pickleball.
