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BBHQ Boomer Essays: |
| Our Boomer-In-Charge here at BBHQ, Hershel Chicowitz, writes frequently about current events... from a boomer perspective. He is sometimes funny, sometimes provocative, sometimes a little of each. We hope you get a kick out of our Boomer Essays. |
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In the first essay in this
series, I set the record straight on when boomers will reach retirement
age, and presented my view that boomer retirement, whenever it comes,
will not be marked by a huge exodus from the workplace. I posed this
question: "Besides, if we all did retire tomorrow, what the heck would we
do?" In this essay, I'll address that. There is one caveat, though. I have always believed that you cannot say that the boomers do..... this, or the boomers are like.... that. We are 75 million Americans, and we have a great deal in common. But we are not all alike. So any generalization must be tempered. Sure, I am certain that many boomers will retire to an easy-chair and watch the world go by from the front porch. Many will let their weight increase and their health decrease until they become a huge burden on themselves, their families, and on society. They will be unhappy and will die early. But they will be in the minority, I believe. After we posted our first essay on boomer retirement, many boomers wrote to us indicating that they have no intention of retiring when they turn 65. (And I remind you that the youngest boomers will not reach age 65 until 2029. So regardless, we have a long way to go.) Not a one told us that they would leave the workforce permanently when they reach retirement age. Nonetheless, the doomsday members of the press have reported that all sorts of economic and social catastrophes will occur as the boomers reach that magic age. Balderdash! Here is what I think. Those boomers who have spent their adult lives in the corporate world will be hesitant to call it quits when they reach retirement age. (And those of us who have worked independently scoff at the notion of retiring... at ANY age.) As I wrote last week, I believe that many of them will sock money away and continue to show up for work every day until they cannot stand it any longer. Eventually, they will not be able to stand it any longer, in part, because they have a third of a million dollars in equity in their house, a hundred grand in the bank, a 401K plan kicking in, and enough from Social Security to pay the electric, phone, water and cable bills. And besides that, the rush hour traffic will be unbearable. So, about the time they turn 70, leaving the corporate world will be too irresistible to pass up. Our parents would see that as the opening act to retirement. We will see it as the window to.... freedom and independence. Yep; no house payments; utility bills covered; no kids tying us down... it's just like we are 18 again. Only we'll be a whole lot smarter... and a lot wealthier. That's right. Write it in your diary; shout it from the mountain tops: freedom and independence! So, what are we going to do? Well, we're not going to do what we did when we were 18. Please!!! But we will have the same spirit. I think that many of us will buy an RV and tour the country for six months or so; maybe fly around the world; spend a month in the Smoky Mountains; a summer at the beach; a winter in Pensacola or Tucson; take the Alaska cruise. And then what? Well, something entirely different. Because after a year or so of that, we will be bored stiff! Nope, after six months or so of traditional retirement activities, we will be itching to do something. Boomers have always been different; we have always been creative. And we have never been still and silent. So, in the second decade of the 21st century, we will redefine retirement; we will take entrepreneurship to a new level. We will do something... anything and everything! And it will be exciting. And it will change the world.
 What Will We Do? For starters, we will open day care centers; we'll bake and sell cookies to local restaurants or delis; we'll set up kiosks in a bank or an office plaza to sell cookies or Christmas ornaments. We'll buy, fix up and sell houses. We'll start and run home and office cleaning services. We'll perform bookkeeping services for small businesses from our homes. We'll manage apartment complexes, campgrounds, and recreation centers. We'll expand the golf shop at local country clubs. We'll repair and restore old cars. We'll become activities directors on cruise ships. We'll start landscape businesses; turn our back yards into nurseries, grow and sell flowers; we'll make and sell crafts. We'll write poetry and novels and plays and songs; we'll start catering, home decorating and publishing businesses. And we'll do it all on our own -- outside of the traditional corporate structure. Why? Because we can, that's why. We'll start dog-sitting and dog-grooming and dog-walking services; become teachers and teacher's aides. We'll become graphics artists and photographers; we'll open and manage bed & breakfasts all over the world; we'll buy Subway franchises, offer typing and editing services to college students, buy and sell stuff on eBay. We'll design, construct and manage new communities for members of the boomer generation. No shuffleboard courts; no nursing homes. But no multiplex movie monstrosities, either.
Impact of Boomer "Retirement" In doing so, we will not only reduce the burdens of old age on ourselves, but we will continue to add to the society and the economy. Instead of being a drain on the economy, like all successful entrepreneurs we will be a huge boon to the economy and the society. We will create jobs and invent entire new industries. We will expand the tax base beyond what anyone could imagine. And we will do that well into our 80s... and likely, beyond that. So the direct impact of the so-called "boomer retirement" will last until the middle of the 21st century. And the impact will be just the opposite of what the doomsday media people are predicting. From the beginning of the boomers socking away money... money that goes into the capital market (which creates new jobs) -- that's happening already -- to the creation of new industries, the boomers will help raise the standard of living for everybody. We will continue to "do our own thing," way beyond the traditional retirement age. As we have always done, we will change the world. And, despite what the younger folks think now, you'll miss us when we're gone.
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Part 1: Just the Facts Part 3: Boomer Retirement Role Models |
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Personal Stories of the Chicowitz: Life is Good! A Tale of Two Toes Exploring My Roots: A Chicowitz History A Trip to the Dentist The Chicowitz Gets Dumped - Again! Just Shoot Me! He Sleeps with the Fishes My Little Girl, Princess Why am I Still Single? The Plastic Surgery Saga Our House is a Very, Very, Very Fine House... Not! Our House - Part 2 Our House - Part 3: Reclaiming the Past Middle Age and the Mazdamobile Down for the Count That Dirty Dancing Contemplations on the Hereafter Tool Time with the Chicowitz The Chicowitz Goes Country Born to be Screwed Mr. Brownthumb The Mixer - A Singles Story Crab Cakes Midlife Crisis: In December, Traditions of Christmas: Teach, Preach & Nag: Travels with Princess: A View from Hurricane Alley: Election 2004: Election 2006: Election 2008: |
A Boomer Remembers...: The Cuban Missile Crisis High School Sweetheart I Remember the 50s The 60s: Life was Sweeter The New American Dream Another Side of the Greatest Generation Where has all the Music Gone? Memories of the Sock Hop Remembering the Chairman of the Board Restless in Seattle The New Math We Are Not One Boomer "And Here's to You, Joe DiMaggio" The Days of Summers Past The Seeds of Character A Letter to a Teacher I Want a Clark Bar! When Music was Fun Decoration Day - The Measure of Sacrifice 11/22/63: We Remember Flashback: The Y2K Hysteria When the Music had Words Ronald Reagan: Hard-Wired Decency The Great Carsoni Love Songs of the Chicowitz Do You Remember These? V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N -- We're on Vacation! A Watergate Success Story Straight Talk on Social Issues: Freedom: Mostly, Just Silly Stuff: The Terrorist Attack of 2001: The Chicowitz on Iraq: |
If you like what we're doing here at BBHQ, please help us by buying stuff through our link to Amazon.com:
| The BBHQ Album of the Month is "Old Friends Live on Stage (Deluxe Edition) (2 CD/1 DVD)," by Simon & Garfunkel. If you were fortunate enough to see them in concert last year, I do not have to sell you. The concert was terrific! This album collection includes 55 songs, plus their new recording, "Citizen of the Planet," and one of the songs sung by the Everly Brothers during the concert. The DVD was recorded during their concert in Madison Square Garden in 2003. For any S&G fan, this is a must have! But then, you knew that already, didn't you? |
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The BBHQ Book of the Month is
"The 5000 Year Leap," by
W. Cleon Skousen. The title does not
adequately identify the content, though the concept of the 5,000 year
leap is astounding. The subtitle, Principles of Freedom 101, is
much more applicable to the subject. This book carefully and clearly
summarizes the thinking of the brilliant founding fathers of our country,
the ideas behind the "miracle that changed the world."
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