A lovely tribute, and a view of retirement that matches mine completely. One might also add simply that, Calvinistic though this may be, work is good for us. My father retired at 59 for reasons that are still unclear to me (he loved his job) and died a year later.
There is no retirement
21–30 of 32 posts
Re: There is no retirement
#22Your post touched me because my father, though retired, was also a very active man right up to the end. Towards the end much of his energy was directed towards taking care of my mother. He had a heart attack when my mother passed away and was bedridden for a while. I was amazed at how he clawed back from near death, going back to taking care of his finances and maintaining the household. Alas, he died 8 months after…
I'm sorry for your loss. Losing two parents so close to one another must've been very difficult.
Re: There is no retirement
#23I think there is a great message here. Most entrepreneurs I speak to believe that they must quit and start a company as soon as possible (early thirties?) or else they will never be able to start one.
I think this is a fallacy. My dad became an entrepreneur in his early forties and many other much later. It is not really a matter of age anymore in modern societies. It is about how sharp you keep yourself as you age.
Probably if you are a startup kind of person (as opposed to sustaining a company kind of person), you would be starting companies even in your nineties. It is never too late. It is just how old you feel.
Re: There is no retirement
#24It is wonderfully written! Thank you for sharing... I am very sorry for your loss!
Re: There is no retirement
#25Your post touched me because my father, though retired, was also a very active man right up to the end. Towards the end much of his energy was directed towards taking care of my mother. He had a heart attack when my mother passed away and was bedridden for a while. I was amazed at how he clawed back from near death, going back to taking care of his finances and maintaining the household. Alas, he died 8 months after…
I'm sorry for your loss. Losing two parents so close to one another must've been very difficult.
Thanks for your sympathy. It was hardest on Dad. After mom's passing dad and I got very close. I got to know him a lot better the last few months of his life.
Re: There is no retirement
#26The concept of retirement is flawed. What should be fostered in society is lifelong learning, wellness, and mentoring those around you.
Re: There is no retirement
#27The concept of retirement is flawed. What should be fostered in society is lifelong learning, wellness, and mentoring those around you.
It wasn't flawed. It was a necessity until very recently. Most people in the tech field fail to realize that most "jobs" are actually back breaking physical labor. Whether that is working a mile underground or standing on your feet for 8 hours. It beats the body up. So you pound the pavement for 40+ years until your body says I can't do this anymore. Now what do you do? You exit the circuit and let another person pound it out for 40 years.
And that is what retirement is about for most people. Not you complaining that tech companies won't hire you. But you've been doing this too long and your back is shot.
Re: There is no retirement
#28Financial freedom is a hedge against the loss of your human capital. Most people dramatically overestimate the continuity of their human capital and are surprised when it starts to diminish. It's a great thing that a certain percentage of people remain vital their entire lives, but you can't count on it.
Re: There is no retirement
#29It's not as black and white as having a shitty vs fulfilling job. Many (most?) retirees are coming from ok jobs and are conflicted but positive about retiring, seeing it as a transition to antother phase of life.
The workaholic is a special type of person.
Edit: to add, I do understand how it's important for people to feel useful, and I agree it's a good idea to stay active after retirement.
Re: There is no retirement
#30I share this sentiment...for me, retirement is not the freedom from work, but the freedom to work on what I chose. Life would be boring without productivity. Additionally, as I age, I've felt a gradually stronger internal pull towards meaningful work. The thing that terrifies me about the technology industry as a whole is that it plays favorites to the young, yet it's the only field I've ever truly been passionate ab…
When you start your own company remember that feeling. Then when you start hiring developers and other technical people, look for people who are in the same boat you are in right now.
I'll be 40 this year and cofounded a software company a few years ago. We just hired our first developer and he's in his mid fifties. I've worked with him for years and I have no doubts that he'll be a great developer for as long as he chooses to work.
As far as I'm concerned, being open to hiring older technical workers is not only the moral - and legal - thing to do, it is also a competitive advantage. Wisdom is valuable in a small software company.