As the economic crises unfolds in the US, Europe and in Canada, there is much talk of the winners and the losers and the nashing of teeth and the wringing of hands over what will become of us. During thie time I did not hear much about the losses incurred by those of us who have worked hard to contribute to our society and so I read the following post by Diane Gilman in the Huffngton Post on August 23
So I ask you, what about US? We're watching every second-half life construct we grew up believing and expecting -- crumbling, disappearing and evaporating. Is anyone out there wondering, like me, who's building a new Life-Model for us? Isn't it time we start to defend and champion ourselves rather than be labeled as a liability?
Honestly, I think as a generation Baby Boomers have developed amnesia! Once we were the biggest, loudest, clearest voice in America. Then we grew up and went silent. We need to remember who we are, or rather what we were, and bring the essence of US back to the present tense again!
We must revise our Life-GPS to address our new reality. We are working well into our 70's and living well into our 80's. As we age, what are our opportunities for employment? What industries will be best suited for a mature workforce? And, what direction should we take as we watch Social Security and Medicare fade away? Bottom line -- what do we do as we see our savings shrinking while our life span extends? At this moment I may not have the answers -- though, I am posing the questions that I know we as a community are asking ourselves.
And let me be the first to say, when we do take to the streets, the Capitol, the airwaves and the Internet, I expect our boomer flag to be just as individual as we are. Give me a flag comprised of strawberry fields and purple haze. Let's paint it black with a whiter shade of pale! We need to reconnect and revive! Step out alone, you're invisible. Go further together. We become invincible!
Baby Boomers: A New Life-Construct -- From "Invisible to Invincible!" with interest. Diane says:
I never once heard any of the "authorities" mention Baby Boomers. Wait a second... I did hear an echo of inevitable lowered benefits for the disabled and elderly. Yup! That's us: the elderly grouped with the disabled. And another mention of us as an "ageing population who will put a terrible strain on the government's finances." For those of us who contributed to Social Security, Medicare and dutifully paid our taxes all our adult lives, that is truly insulting
So I ask you, what about US? We're watching every second-half life construct we grew up believing and expecting -- crumbling, disappearing and evaporating. Is anyone out there wondering, like me, who's building a new Life-Model for us? Isn't it time we start to defend and champion ourselves rather than be labeled as a liability?
Honestly, I think as a generation Baby Boomers have developed amnesia! Once we were the biggest, loudest, clearest voice in America. Then we grew up and went silent. We need to remember who we are, or rather what we were, and bring the essence of US back to the present tense again!
We must revise our Life-GPS to address our new reality. We are working well into our 70's and living well into our 80's. As we age, what are our opportunities for employment? What industries will be best suited for a mature workforce? And, what direction should we take as we watch Social Security and Medicare fade away? Bottom line -- what do we do as we see our savings shrinking while our life span extends? At this moment I may not have the answers -- though, I am posing the questions that I know we as a community are asking ourselves.
And let me be the first to say, when we do take to the streets, the Capitol, the airwaves and the Internet, I expect our boomer flag to be just as individual as we are. Give me a flag comprised of strawberry fields and purple haze. Let's paint it black with a whiter shade of pale! We need to reconnect and revive! Step out alone, you're invisible. Go further together. We become invincible!
No comments:
Post a Comment