Retirement as we think of it is a fairly recent invention.  A recent quick history in the NY Times reviews some of the evolution of the concept.

Mostly it is a post-war thing.  Through the first wave, in the 1950s and 60s, many employers still had mandatory retirement ages.  That was using old Baron von Bismarck’s date from the 19th century:  65. Bismarck chose it because relatively few people back then lived past 65.  He was an early Republican.  Back to our mid-20th century post-war, it was still true that retirement was maybe 5-6 years or so for many and then adios. Some retirements came when the employee just got too old for the job.  No age discrimination in those days, so out with the old and in with the newer (and cheaper).

In the 1970s the laid back retirement came into widespread use.  The old 3-legged stool of savings, pension, and Social Security was still there for many if not most, and retirement was spent in a fishing boat or a golf cart or a hammock.  Cruise owners hit the recruiting trail to round up seniors for tours.  In most cases, as in the two prior decades, retirement happened on one given day.  Gold watch, maybe a few bites of cake, and when you woke up the next day the job was totally in the rearview mirror.  The goal of this time was to relax.  It’s the Lazy Boy retirement.

Somewhere maybe in the later '90s and after, retirement took on a new dimension.  Just passively hanging out seemed boring and unfulfilling to a new retiree generation.  Retirement got busy.  Stories began appearing of retirees starting whole new careers, or teaching inner city kids, or learning Italian in classes at the local college.  Some took up oil painting, or creative writing.  A great many still worked at the old job, often on a reduced or part-time basis.  Longevity was building, and 30 years in a golf cart no longer appealed.  But 30 years doing new things, learning new things and keeping the appointment calendar filled up was the new retirement.  Retirees began carrying date books to keep track of lessons, work, volunteering, and all that blizzard of things to do.

These of course are generalizations, but they capture the spirit of the times then and now.  Some still wile away the days playing Mah Jong or hitting the links.  Mandatory retirement is long gone for most, so many are still working, often because they didn’t save, or lost a lot in a divorce, and/or the pension got shrunk. A one legged stool is not really a stool any more.

At our house we are among the voluntary part-time workers.  But we also dip a toe into the 1970s, and start the days in relaxed ways, sipping tea or coffee, reading papers, and processing current events.  In nice weather we (mostly Ron) are busy gardening or out and about (mostly Sara).  In winter we are planning gardens, and also reading, playing piano, knitting and doing lunch, usually with friends, most days. 

What will the future retirement be?  The Radicals have both Medicare and SS in their sights, and money might get very hard to find given often scant Boomer savings.  The first two decades of this century might well be the Golden Age of Retirement.  It is sad to think that what will follow might become a subsistence living replacing the Golden Years.

It is probably not too late to bail out the idyllic option-filled retirement, but it may take some measure of political activity.  And not just for old folks.  Those  aged 20-50 won’t have much to look forward to if the Radicals slice and dice SS and Medicare, so they have to get on the stick too.  At least vote.  There are sane politicians out there in both parties.  Don’t vote Republican or Democratic.  Vote moral and sane.  Otherwise much of America will one day be routinely choosing between buying food or buying medication.  The Radicals would love to reverse the longevity trend.  Don’t you dare let them do it.