Tuesday, July 17, 2018

The Real Problem with "Retirement"

“When the healthy pursuit of self-interest and self-realization turns into self-absorption, other people can lose their intrinsic value in our eyes and become mere means to the fulfillment of our needs and desires.”

P. M. Forni
Thus far I am not that impressed with what I see when people retire.  I mean, I can understand not wanting to continue going back to the same rut, but it seems to me that the emptiness of not being a part of something greater would be daunting.

I am not impressed with the freedom of not having anything in particular to do.  I am even less impressed with  the way that people pursue trivialities and label them as the center and focus of their lives. 

I know a lot of folks my age who are retired.  I don't think the bulk of them are all that pleased with what they are seeing there.  Oh, don't get me wrong, a whole bunch of them tells me about the fabulousness of their lives, but, with a few notable exceptions, most of them have the air of someone who is trying to convince themselves along with you.

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