The Retirement Crisis - A Threat That Is Being Ignored

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: just4fun
I actually blame my generation for this s###show gen x.

We were the ones that started timeout for punishment and let them take the pledge out of schools.

We were the ones that welcomed this PC BS.

We allowed computers and social media to take over. This is on us IMO

I won’t take all the blame. Why did we get rid of punishment, maybe because we were actually abused.
Why did we take the pledge out? Maybe because we were never given choices.
Yes the pendulum swung a little too far, but there were reasons why.

We were taught to respect our elders to say yes sir and no maam . When was the last time you heard one of these young bucks say yes sir to someone out of respect?

Thats on us.

We were taught work ethic then let our kids play video games all day. I know not all of us but its still on us.

We were our kids friends ..

I am hoping I can retire in 10 years or so in my late 50s and just enjoy a simple life free of bullsh!t. I have a decent nest egg and don't need much to be happy.

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: gb540

This. The masses have always worked till you dropped...

There crisis is that people are living longer due to advances in healthcare and standard of living. As a result, the math no longer works for a long retirement because people are living far longer than normal.

You are right about the math not adding up. I don't think that they ever really expected so many of the Boomer generation to make it to full retirement.

I grew up in a small country village. My Dad was ex military, and the one thing he did amazingly well, was delegation.

Back then, you worked along side the old folk. From the time you were old to enough to understand the task, until you became good enough at it, for them to delegate the responsibility to you. They then went from instructor to supervisor. Just waiting for you to make a mistake, and make their day.

Back then very few dropped dead in the fields. My Dad died in his sleep.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

The actuary tables are designed around people living till late 50s or early 60s. Nowadays, the life expectancy is like 78 years old. The numbers only work if a certain number of people die earlier than expected and don't receive their full benefits.

People are living well into their 80s drawing far more in bennies than they ever put in.

It will collapse eventually. Pensions and social security have this same issue.

Private retirement like 401ks are an issue because people are really bad savers and don't prioritize retirement. They will reach retirement age and won't have any money saved or social security won't make up the gap most likely.

originally posted by: NightSkyeB4Dawn

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

I’d give you two flags if I could.

This topic is so important and you’re right nobody is talking about it……or
Maybe nobody wants to talk about it because we know how bad it’s going to be.

When the rug is pulled up, how will people land.
Those most reliant on the government are going to be in a world of hurt.
I guess those reliant on too much of anything will be really bad off.
Too much medicine, too much alcohol, too much food, too much technology.

Yes. Were are the generation of excess. Super sized meals, buy one get one free, sticking our noses up at, and trashing leftovers. If one is good. Two has to be better.

We are indeed about to have the rug pulled out from under our feet. Those that have rugs.

The baby boomers were not one stereotype generation. There were two mindsets. The materially indulgent and ambitious and the non-materialistic, artistic and free-thinking. The Vietnam war was another PTB theatre that divided these two streams. Hiroshima and Nagasaki had a huge effect on the psychology of the generation. The world could end in a nuclear holler cast at any time.

Homesteading and living and sharing communally had it's birth with one segment of the generation. That same segment of the generation knew very well what it was like to be hated by the empire. The other segment was rewarded by the system for not asking too many questions such as - was the war necessary? Hippies were treated much worse than the unvaxxed are being treated now. It was just lucky for them that the surveillance tech that we have now was then not developed.

The awakened segment of the baby boomer generation actually saw right into the future of what is happening now. Look at the books that were published in the late 60s into the 70s. If one expressed any of the ideals the hippies held in earshot of the squares of the same generation, you would lose friends quick smart because to be mother nature's son was to be an outcast and the enemy of "progress" and to be selfishly self-centred which was a joke as the condemners were super "bread-heads".

Now the only solution for those who refuse to be led by the nose into the idiotic great reset is to buy off-grid property and homestead and support each other communally growing our own uncorrupted food supplies and managing our own water resources and educating our own children. The hippies were right. All the wealth that the obedient baby boomers have experienced has been the outcome of war and violence and undermining weaker nations for their resources. So cry Free, cry. Cry me a river.

I'm looking at retirement this year. At this point, my biggest worry is that inflation is going to take off and what is considered good income today will have half the value in a few short years.

About the generations and who's at fault, that's a very broad subject and I don't think it's one or the other. Our society has evolved to where it is. It took a lot of small changes to get us here. One of the major the turning points (in my opinion of course) was when parents both had to go to work to maintain a middle-income lifestyle and left the kids at home alone or in daycare. It's hard to discipline and teach kids manners and respect when you only have a few hours a day together.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: NightSkyeB4Dawn
They loved riding the gravy train when the Boomers were young, and they were piling that money into their coffers. Now they are crying the blues, and scheming like crazy, to come up with a way that they do not have to return that money.

Every Ponzi scheme breaks down when the investors want what they believe they've earned.

They're going to erase everyone's pensions.
They're going to erase every social safety net.
They're going to remember anything you could have considered a debt.
They're going to let the old folks fend for themselves.

Ha-Ha ... we think the toilette paper shortage was bad ... until we take a look at Venezuela, or remember the history of other Communist Regime emergences.

Pretty soon people are going to appreciate us bitter-clingers. LMAO

I think letting the pros invest your money was always wrong. Being in the real estate business I could never understand people with money didn't invest inland. That is why when Asians came to America their disposable income went into buying land. Check with the title companies if you doubt my word.

originally posted by: LogicalGraphitti
I'm looking at retirement this year. At this point, my biggest worry is that inflation is going to take off and what is considered good income today will have half the value in a few short years.

About the generations and who's at fault, that's a very broad subject and I don't think it's one or the other. Our society has evolved to where it is. It took a lot of small changes to get us here. One of the major the turning points (in my opinion of course) was when parents both had to go to work to maintain a middle-income lifestyle and left the kids at home alone or in daycare. It's hard to discipline and teach kids manners and respect when you only have a few hours a day together.

So true. 5 of us kids, only my dad had to work. I see the breakdown of families here in this country due to both parents have to work.

Truth be told, the entire planet experienced the growth of American excess. There was a time when McDs, BK and others were only in the US, now they are everywhere and that is probably not appropriate. Many worldwide are ready for a change, an end to the rat race...The federal government will likely shrink dramatically as useless and poorly managed programs are cut. Local governments will take up the slack. There will be a reconfig of tax laws...after the pitchforks become unbearable. We will likely have to step into leadership in our communities. That leadership will be all about basics; cooking, sewing, first aid, managing sewage, farming/gardening/irrigation, building homes, roads and bridges, return to natural health and medicine. it's going to be very hands on.

Those who live in the twitter/instagram/FB/meta/sphere might have a hard time adjusting; many will choose not to. It will be OK but loads of people will be out of work and reassigned. In a few years time, we will even have a cure for those who took the vaccine/boosters. I think we are going to have to act and provide locally, all over the world.

I'm predicting that at the end of March, we are going to see some nasty stuff. From today, we have about 15 months to prepare for the politicians begin eating themselves and the government begins to truly crumble. Anyone sucking on the government teet for sustenance is going to be up a creek and we're going to have to help each other.

I am looking forward to a simpler life but, as you have mentioned, it isn't going to be easy.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

I’d give you two flags if I could.

This topic is so important and you’re right nobody is talking about it……or
Maybe nobody wants to talk about it because we know how bad it’s going to be.

When the rug is pulled up, how will people land.
Those most reliant on the government are going to be in a world of hurt.
I guess those reliant on too much of anything will be really bad off.
Too much medicine, too much alcohol, too much food, too much technology.

Yes. Were are the generation of excess. Super sized meals, buy one get one free, sticking our noses up at, and trashing leftovers. If one is good. Two has to be better.

We are indeed about to have the rug pulled out from under our feet. Those that have rugs.

originally posted by: Edumakated
I am hoping I can retire in 10 years or so in my late 50s and just enjoy a simple life free of bullsh!t. I have a decent nest egg and don't need much to be happy.

Fewer buyers mean higher prices. Just bought a bread machine yesterday. Saw a 30% increase of all most everything in one year. Why... They don't sell much these days so they have to raise the price.

I'm retired. My Japanese pension is only 200 USD every two months. Yes, you read that right. Why, well in this country you work till you drop for most people. Best to be a farmer in this country or a fisherman.

Of course I can't live on 200 bucks every two months, so what should I do, well, luckily one can save if they start a business here and grow with it, but these days profit margins are so small its even hard to break even.

Glad I'm my age.

a reply to: BlissSeeker

Again, I'm saying May.
Last May everything really did change around the world.

The baby boomers were not one stereotype generation. There were two mindsets. The materially indulgent and ambitious and the non-materialistic, artistic and free-thinking. The Vietnam war was another PTB theatre that divided these two streams. Hiroshima and Nagasaki had a huge effect on the psychology of the generation. The world could end in a nuclear holler cast at any time. Homesteading and living and sharing communally had it's birth with one segment of the generation. That same segment of the generation knew very well what it was like to be hated by the empire. The other segment was rewarded by the system for not asking too many questions such as - was the war necessary? Hippies were treated much worse than the unvaxxed are being treated now. It was just lucky for them that the surveillance tech that we have now was then not developed.

a reply to: HilterDayon

I walked both those paths. And I was a Vietnam era Vet. It did not take me long to realize my mistakes, and I had to work my way back to country living.

I am a strong advocate of family, community, and country. I grew up with elders that kept telling us, "Do not trust the government". Another mistake we made.

The terrible thing here is if all the Trump and Biden spending over the last few years and the next causes a Weimar republic inflation crash all the pension plans and retirement savings will go into the dumper. Problem solved.

When the New Bucks come out the old ones will only have value as TP.

originally posted by: ntech
The terrible thing here is if all the Trump and Biden spending over the last few years and the next causes a Weimar republic inflation crash all the pension plans and retirement savings will go into the dumper. Problem solved.

When the New Bucks come out the old ones will only have value as TP.

I am afraid that you may be right.

I don't see them paying out all that money to the retirees. They will crash something, or like so may have said, they will find a way to knock half of us off.

originally posted by: just4fun
I actually blame my generation for this s###show gen x.

We were the ones that started timeout for punishment and let them take the pledge out of schools.

We were the ones that welcomed this PC BS.

We allowed computers and social media to take over. This is on us IMO

The intergenerational warfare is just another useless division, that keeps the citizens divided and their energy turned against itself. Every generation has been equally involved and culpable.

Every home owner and investor is in on the scheme. No one wants to be the one left holding the bag. No one holding anything of value wants the prices to go down. Everyone wants a return on their investment. Everyone from the top to the bottom has been on board for the gaming of the system and keeping prices on an ever upward trajectory. It's just not sustainable and in the real world, sometimes there has to be losses, there has to be crashes and the prices have to come down. Even if it hurts, every time it does.

originally posted by: musicismagic
Glad I'm my age.

I find myself saying that very same thing but what's better, dying in the next couple of decades or living through whatever happens? Who knows, maybe the next thing for us old folks is a trip to another dimension.

originally posted by: LogicalGraphitti

originally posted by: musicismagic
Glad I'm my age.

I find myself saying that very same thing but what's better, dying in the next couple of decades or living through whatever happens? Who knows, maybe the next thing for us old folks is a trip to another dimension.

Sometimes, to be honest, I think I slip every now and again.

I think I sometimes am living in the Twilight Zone.

originally posted by: themessengernevermatters

originally posted by: just4fun
I actually blame my generation for this s###show gen x.

We were the ones that started timeout for punishment and let them take the pledge out of schools.

We were the ones that welcomed this PC BS.

We allowed computers and social media to take over. This is on us IMO

The intergenerational warfare is just another useless division, that keeps the citizens divided and their energy turned against itself. Every generation has been equally involved and culpable.

Every home owner and investor is in on the scheme. No one wants to be the one left holding the bag. No one holding anything of value wants the prices to go down. Everyone wants a return on their investment. Everyone from the top to the bottom has been on board for the gaming of the system and keeping prices on an ever upward trajectory. It's just not sustainable and in the real world, sometimes there has to be losses, there has to be crashes and the prices have to come down. Even if it hurts, every time it does.

Now that the holiday season is over, spending will slow down to where we most likely see the sales of non food products fall steeply . Food prices are on the rise due to 3 factors. 1. weather 2. transportation cost 3. wage increase
We can see this mostly where I'm at since food ( ocean fishing ) is at our front door.
Weather affects the migration of the fish. Fuel cost is crazy at the moment. Foreigners have been restricted to coming here and a shortage of nationals have give way to higher wages like only a 3% increase by law.

staff edit

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: themessengernevermatters

originally posted by: just4fun
I actually blame my generation for this s###show gen x.

We were the ones that started timeout for punishment and let them take the pledge out of schools.

We were the ones that welcomed this PC BS.

We allowed computers and social media to take over. This is on us IMO

The intergenerational warfare is just another useless division, that keeps the citizens divided and their energy turned against itself. Every generation has been equally involved and culpable.

Every home owner and investor is in on the scheme. No one wants to be the one left holding the bag. No one holding anything of value wants the prices to go down. Everyone wants a return on their investment. Everyone from the top to the bottom has been on board for the gaming of the system and keeping prices on an ever upward trajectory. It's just not sustainable and in the real world, sometimes there has to be losses, there has to be crashes and the prices have to come down. Even if it hurts, every time it does.

Now that the holiday season is over, spending will slow down to where we most likely see the sales of non food products fall steeply . Food prices are on the rise due to 3 factors. 1. weather 2. transportation cost 3. wage increase
We can see this mostly where I'm at since food ( ocean fishing ) is at our front door.
Weather affects the migration of the fish. Fuel cost is crazy at the moment. Foreigners have been restricted to coming here and a shortage of nationals have give way to higher wages like only a 3% increase by law.

i rather agree with you. although i would say from what i have been seeing both here and North America i would change the order a bit. i see the number one issue being transportation costs, but that is only one part of it. with the real issue being fuel costs (in other words OIL and things like coal), which effect more than just the transportation, literally being an increased cost at each and every step in the entirety of production of food, to the end point of the private citizen buying those products. a situation being greatly caused by liberals going overboard with their "trying to save the world", from natural weather.

weather is also playing it's part, although not as much in places like North America. where for example we had a storm that did quite a lot of damage to one of the main crop areas. a place up in the mountains, where the cooler temperatures are better for growing many types of vegetables and fruits. just as just before the pandemic coffee prices rose (and was in a bit of a short supply), due to the volcano belching ash, taking out the coffee crop, of a major coffee producing area. but then such things are actually rather common, while the prices do raise somewhat due to them, they normally go back down once things settle out. and of course another issue here raising food prices is the swine flu. which thanks to the CHINESE, and their pork smuggling, especially due to the smuggling of tainted pork, which in turn has passed the sickness onto live pigs (which is why pretty much every country has a ban on importing things like meat, fruit, vegetables, plants and animals), creating a shortage of pork, and thus raising pork prices.

and while the raising of wages of course has an effect, over all it is only a very minor contributor to price increases, other than as just a convenient excuse to raise prices (and thus profit), far more than they need to be raised to cover it.