General Cycling Discussion - Aging population

The "baby boom." A large group of folks that were born post WWII that, well, to be honest, are getting "older."

Yes, folks, we boomers are getting on in years. Nothing to worry about, though, because we are being catered to royally. Heck, I can even get a free sample of quick-rinse hair dye to try it out and see if it really gets the gray out. Pharmaceutical companies are right on the job, too, with a drug for every age-related malady. Those of us "on golden pond" in years to come will be in the majority, so we can look forward to an economy fashioned around our needs.

I'm not waiting, though. I'm preparing by riding my bike to get in shape. I might need some "senior attention" in years to come, but I'm going to try to make sure I arrive in the "golden age" as strong and healthy as possible.

You see, there might not yet be a pill for everything.

Yes, folks, we boomers are getting on in years. Nothing to worry about, though, because we are being catered to royally. (later) Those of us "on golden pond" in years to come will be in the majority, so we can look forward to an economy fashioned around our needs.
I don't really believe that we will have an economy and society fashioned after our needs - maybe better suited to our needs but not centered on. Take healthcare - it's as screwed up as ever, especially for uninsured or underinsured seniors. I can't see the insurance companies or the government stepping up to take on the burden of the boomers, who's first generation is now close to 60. Medicare and Medicaid won't be able to handle to workload without complete overhauls and what about Social Security? I feel for the first generation of boomers as their numbers will demonstrate the need for change. But change will be slow and they won't reap the benefits as much as the second and third generations and Gen X/Gen Y, whom I believe has has been "catered to royally."

In the meantime, I'll go ride my bike.

55/Rad

As a post boomer, I will be glad when you all start to retire and open up some of those good jobs you've been hoarding.

Once you are all dead, I imagine there will be plenty of affordable housing in warm climates, less of a health care "crisis", increased govt benefits for all, and lots of Mercurys and Buicks for sale.

How bout those cheerful thoughts ;)

ehenz

Exercise, a healthy lean diet, and I'm not sure what else but I know my grand parents, cousins, their friends and family, back in china before and after the cultural revolution lived to their high 80's on nothing.
They didn't have electronic defib's, no "medication", no complex surgical procedures, no vitamin supplements, no life support, no anti-bacterial soap, no lysol, no fast food, sometimes no food period, no french fries, no soda, no candy. I find it amazing that all of them lived far longer than a lot of my friend's parents and grand parents here in the united states when all they had was a log cabin, their small farm, muddy well water, and herbal medicine.
Makes me rethink my whole way of living...

As a post boomer, I will be glad when you all start to retire and open up some of those good jobs you've been hoarding.

Once you are all dead, I imagine there will be plenty of affordable housing in warm climates, less of a health care "crisis", increased govt benefits for all, and lots of Mercurys and Buicks for sale.

How bout those cheerful thoughts ;)

ehenz

Hehe I hate to be morbid but I am actually waiting for a lot of these baby boomers to age out and retire so I can have some of them sweet engineering jobs.

Hehe I hate to be morbid but I am actually waiting for a lot of these baby boomers to age out and retire so I can have some of them sweet engineering jobs.


I was born in '62, so I guess I am at the tail end of the "boom". The way I have it figured, if things continue pretty much like they have been lately, I'll have to work til I drop, and they can bury me where I fall.

Dan

Start of rant<<Im a tail ender of the boom (63), but have to say that boomers are the most selfish generation ever to inhabit the planet. Their childhood was subsidized by the hard work and sacrifice of their parents. They have used up several generations-worth of the earth's resources, and used up most of its carrying capacity for pollution for free. Having a huge amount of political, economic and cultural power, it is always best to be their age. Now they are staring to retire, we will see society refocussed around the retires. The young will have to pay more tax to subsisize the old.>>end of rant.

As a post boomer, I will be glad when you all start to retire and open up some of those good jobs you've been hoarding.

Once you are all dead, I imagine there will be plenty of affordable housing in warm climates, less of a health care "crisis", increased govt benefits for all, and lots of Mercurys and Buicks for sale.

How bout those cheerful thoughts ;)

ehenz

As a preboomer, you're welcome to my job, if you can hackit, and are good enough, all you need is 30 years onsite training, and a biking need that takes all your spare cash.

Thats the trouble with youngsters now adays, No respect for their elders, Just like yesterday, 30 miles into my offroad training programme and all the youngsters wanted to do was stop at the local pub and have a drink. After 2 beers each, all they wanted to do was go home. Thats what I mean by no respect, ruined my 40 mile ride, then fell off in front of me, and moaned when I ran over them, Then they had the cheek to ask for a bandaid to stop the blood from leaking.

Hehe I hate to be morbid but I am actually waiting for a lot of these baby boomers to age out and retire so I can have some of them sweet engineering jobs.

You will have to go to India to work, cause that is where alot of those sweet engineering jobs are ending up.

You will have to go to India to work, cause that is where alot of those sweet engineering jobs are ending up.

In that case, I will also work till I drop and they'll have to bury me where I fall too :(

As a post boomer, I will be glad when you all start to retire and open up some of those good jobs you've been hoarding.

Once you are all dead, I imagine there will be plenty of affordable housing in warm climates, less of a health care "crisis", increased govt benefits for all, and lots of Mercurys and Buicks for sale.

How bout those cheerful thoughts ;)

ehenz
I hope your prophecy of outliving your elders comes true.

(Perhaps I should not attempt to bring the discussion back to it's original intent, which was the benefits of cycling.)

:D

Actually, we are not hoarding jobs. It's actually cheaper to hire young people out of college than to rehire
older, more experienced workers. Older professionals are experiencing a great deal of job displacement from younger workers.

Don't worry, your turn will come.

As a post boomer, I will be glad when you all start to retire and open up some of those good jobs you've been hoarding.

Once you are all dead, I imagine there will be plenty of affordable housing in warm climates, less of a health care "crisis", increased govt benefits for all, and lots of Mercurys and Buicks for sale.

How bout those cheerful thoughts ;)

ehenz


i'm gonna go a. troll on you! :D

If any of you has any talent for writing fiction, I give you a plot for a novel.

It is 2032. The economies of the western world are cracking under the strain of a bloated population of oldsters, made worse by the double whammy of the baby boom and miracle (but expensive) drugs and medical techniques. Deficits and government debts are so high that investment in productive activities really is 'crowded out.' Health care costs have skyrocketed at twice the rate of inflation, which is also out of control. Since old people vote in far greater numbers than youngsters, they win the elections and continue to pack elected offices with politicians afraid to stick it to them. Finally, a group of 40-somethings and 50-somethings in the military, sick of watching their beloved country going down the tubes and seeing that they just aren't going to win free elections until it's too late, decide to do something 'to save the country.'

The something starts with a military coup which is supported by most Americans young enough to be physically vigorous. Pension cuts and health care rationing start out moderate, but gradually it becomes your 'patriotic duty' to die shortly after you stop working. The transfer of wealth from the old to the young caused by this die-off makes it palatable, if not openly attractive, to those still around.

Think this is all a total pipe dream? I sure hope so. What I do know is that the pension and health care crisis is going to explode all 50 state budgets along with the feds, and that any politician who proposes we look this in the eye and do something effective now to head off, or just limit, the inevitable crisis loses his job.

If we had a less mechanical view of healthcare, this wouldn't be so much of a problem. I understand that in China it is traditional that doctors only get payed when the people in their care stay healthy. You don't need MRIs, CATscans or an in-house dispensary to stay healthy - they only help if you're sick (and even then it's doubtful).

What's the point in a longer life expectancy if you spend the entire time worried about your health?

If any of you has any talent for writing fiction, I give you a plot for a novel.

It is 2032. The economies of the western world are cracking under the strain of a bloated population of oldsters, made worse by the double whammy of the baby boom and miracle (but expensive) drugs and medical techniques. Deficits and government debts are so high that investment in productive activities really is 'crowded out.' Health care costs have skyrocketed at twice the rate of inflation, which is also out of control. Since old people vote in far greater numbers than youngsters, they win the elections and continue to pack elected offices with politicians afraid to stick it to them. Finally, a group of 40-somethings and 50-somethings in the military, sick of watching their beloved country going down the tubes and seeing that they just aren't going to win free elections until it's too late, decide to do something 'to save the country.'

The something starts with a military coup which is supported by most Americans young enough to be physically vigorous. Pension cuts and health care rationing start out moderate, but gradually it becomes your 'patriotic duty' to die shortly after you stop working. The transfer of wealth from the old to the young caused by this die-off makes it palatable, if not openly attractive, to those still around.

Think this is all a total pipe dream? I sure hope so. What I do know is that the pension and health care crisis is going to explode all 50 state budgets along with the feds, and that any politician who proposes we look this in the eye and do something effective now to head off, or just limit, the inevitable crisis loses his job.

2032 has arrived! I

And while I'm raving, I should add that my doctors tell me my bicycling has added years to my life - years for me to consume lots of health care and pension payments! Does everybody remember those British government studies that showed how much it costs the government every time it persuades somebody to quit smoking, because then they live longer? The economy would be much better off if we AARP cyclers would quietly get hit by a car.

Behind every silver lining is a dark cloud.

i've decided... all this sorta crap no longer matters... i'm just gonna exploit this planet for all it's worth. yup. i surely will.