Ah, the delights of data. Numbers transformed into trends, figures forwarded along into carefully constructed quasi-truths, and their inaccurate or incomplete essence, affirming our opinions, substantiating our deepest fears, undermining our confidence in… oh, just about anything.
Does anyone use common sense anymore?
Data data everywhere, if we hear it – should we care?
I came across this article last night, touching on the state of our economy (and angst?), speaking to the issues of baby boomers and retirement fears. I found a few of the statistics interesting, and hardly revelatory, assuming I believe them.
For example?
How about items like this: one out of four baby boomers has no retirement savings and, two thirds of boomers currently employed say they will continue working past official retirement.
(I say again, Hello Common Sense, Are you there? Can you spell No-Brainer?)
Baby boomers aren’t the only ones worried about retirement, or should I say, concerned about getting through the next week or month. This is me talking now, with my anecdotal data, which I consider just as valid as this pitiful pool of sample data offering no news in particular.
What really got my attention were remarks from two individuals, and the implications on our health care system (ignored in the article), as well as the unspoken (and unplumbed) issues around the cost of raising children, not to mention changing family structures (my euphemism for the financial devastation of divorce and single parenting).
The first remark that caught my eye:
“I’m going to keep working after I retire, if nothing else for the health care,” said Nadine Krieger, 58, a food plant worker from East Berlin, Pa. Citing $50,000 in retirement savings that she says won’t go far, she added, “We probably could have saved more, but you can’t when you have a couple of kids in the house.”
And the 58-year old woman who is working to retain health benefits? Might we not pause to note those with no benefits because they aren’t “employed,” and so they fall through the cracks? And then there are those pesky, costly “couple of kids.”
But these are the words that irked me immeasurably.
“I’m a good planner,” said Robert Rivers, 63, a retired New York State employee in Ravena, N.Y. He still works seasonally for the federal government and collects a modest military pension… he says he has scaled back his lifestyle…
“I’m spending money I have, not spending it and trying to repay it,” he said.
I admire this gentleman for his work ethic – clearly evident. But there is hubris in his stating that he is “a good planner” and likewise, that he doesn’t spend money he doesn’t have. Did he never encounter an unexpected layoff? No dreadful divorce? No family emergencies or serious illness, eating away at savings?
Since when does “good planning” trump life events that are out of your control?
In keeping with that thought, the very first comment in response to the article was the following.
I am a 50 year old lower middle class woman. I work three jobs… I am taking care of my mom with Alzheimer’s. I am also battling breast cancer. I don’t have health care provided by my work, so I have used my savings (which was once very healthy as I’m super thrifty) to cover my medical bills and now have no savings. I have never asked for a handout… there will be no “golden years” for me but I am okay with that. I’m a renter, as well, as my mom’s mobile home was sold many years ago to take care of her care… All I am asking is that you take a moment, any moment to talk with people who are scared about their futures. You’ll find that many of us are not lazy — many of us have had unforeseen things happen — like losing a job and then unable to find any work, catastrophic illnesses, a parent in need of constant care. Before you judge, please look at the world and your fellow Americans with clear, compassionate eyes.
Might we all pay attention to her words, realizing that this could be any one of us?
When you run into a health issue and have no insurance, especially one requiring hospitalization or extensive treatments, it takes no time at all to decimate savings. Been there, done that. It doesn’t take long to turn what should have been a safe, if not really comfortable, retirement into a “just making it” retirement. Or no retirement at all.
Perfectly stated, Carol. Thus my irritation at those who claim that their “good planning” and careful spending is what exempts them from the worries of millions of us.
What a powerful statement.
I sit here, just outside the Beltway, watching Congress argue and point fingers at one another as to the budget for the federal government. The Talk Back question on the radio last night was citing that Congress will not feel a financial impact should the government close on Friday – their pay will continue to flow etc… and how do we, the people, feel about that.
I find the discussion that circles around this city like a dirty cloud to be sad and out of touch in so many ways – and I can’t figure out why these “elected” officials not only seem to believe they are special, but why they can’t figure out that this isn’t about politics or parties or re-elections? It is about people.
People with chronic diseases; people who can’t find work or lost their jobs; people who are caring for young and old and doing all they can to make it; people who are accountable and responsible and who are doing all that they can with the full realization that they have no idea how they will make the next mortgage payment or how they will ever afford to retire or care for themselves should anything happen.
People watching prices increase; people watching salaries diminish relative to prices; people who do what it takes.
I am curious to know if any of our elected officials – those deciding what is best for the average American – have been unemployed, gone without health care for themselves or their children, struggled to make ends meet, been laid off, suffered from a sudden and major medical crisis, are responsible for children or adult care?
Are any of these men and women aware of what it is to be that American who will directly feel the impact of their decisions?
I can’t imagine what it’s like to be living in your city, with your up-close view of these “conversations” taking place. Thank you for your remarks, TE.
Millions BLW? I’d put money on over a 100 million in the unprepared or able to retire category in the US. And many of these folks don’t/can’t vote or vote for representation that doesn’t represent them. Who said it, “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.” Oh yeah, it was H. L. Mencken.
In an email exchange, you once indicated that you had a social blog while I had a political blog (google peacefulways). In fact, one of the reasons that I enjoy your blog is not only because it is well written and interesting, but because it differs from my blogs and life as a Quaker activist. It’s a break. But things are never that simple or clear, as both of our blogs demonstrate. At the moment, it does seem that extreme wealth/greed has significant control of this government, and that we are often fed lies as a result (and you can’t make an informed vote on the basis of lies and fears). Of course, some folks do bear some responsibility for their misfortunes, but their numbers are generally greatly exagerated, and in any case this does not mean that we can just throw away their lives.
Always, each of us can live his/her life as we see fit and moral, do what we can for the world, and accept that the final outcome is not in our power. Anymore, I don’t act in short-term expectation of changing the world, but act so that the world will not change me.
Paul, while I’m much more oriented toward social issues (in my own way) rather than political, couldn’t we say that most topics that people discuss have both a social and political context? My musings are not not political, in some respects.
I like several of the things you mentioned in your comment: Some folks do bear some responsibility for their misfortunes… [but] this does not mean that we can just throw away their lives, and this: I don’t act in short-term expectation of changing the world, but act so that the world will not change me.
The latter remark I understand and respect. At the same time, I suspect it may be simplistic. As an activist, and one who engages in social and political dialogue, even if you open up one mind, you are engaged in the process of changing the world. As for short-term expectations, I like the perspective (offered to me once by Lisa F, a very wise woman) that we create the future, each hour, each day, with each of our actions. We know the entirety of that future is certainly not in our control, but in moving toward a future we want, we make it a bit more possible.
These remarks remind me of the many people I’ve met knocking on doors in various states for various candidates. Some are completely clueless about the ever-growing disparity while others can’t seem to catch a break. It’s a burden that we’re not all willing to share.
What’s that saying… people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones?
We all live in glass houses, don’t we? Some of us are just more aware of it, not to mention grateful for those walls and roof – glass or not.
Thanks, BLW. I like, and totally agree with, your positive assessment of change. I guess it may just be that I’ve toned down some from the piss and vinegar of saving the world in my lifetime. And I’m older now. This month, I will once again publicly refuse to pay the government a share of my federal taxes that pay for war (give it to charity instead) — lets hope that this has some influence besides letting me live with myself (and Fran). The same Quaker pacifist revolutionary socialist and educator/academic as always, but not quite the same.
This post resonate with me BLW. My father when he was stricken with cancer had to dump much of his “nest egg” money to pay for treatments. Just months before he was diagnosed he cancelled his supplemental insurance because he didn’t think he was going to need it. Although in hindsight I don’t agree with that decision he had no indication that he would fall prey to cancer. It came unexpectedly.
You are right when you say, that it could be any one of us at any given time. We are all, in some respect, teetering on that tightrope. Thanks for this important post.
One thing hard for me to swallow is the disconnect embodied by those on Medicare who talk about getting the government out of the healthcare business as if they wouldn’t be affected. That so many can be in so much denial does not bode well for us.
The book, The Two-Income Gap, stated that the top 3 reasons for bankruptcy are: Death (of a wage provider), Divorce, and Medical Issues. They studied all the supposed “wasteful” spending. They simply don’t add up to poverty.