I'm here to say I'm so tired of the features I'm seeing all over, about old people climbing mountains, swimming oceans and centenarians jumping out of planes, as if this is something great to aspire to.
I suspect a lot of the features are generated one way or another by the travel and sports equipment people. I reserve the right to get annoyed when they quote statistics then ignore them in their own conclusions.
I just read one piece which said retirees are keenly traveling to make up for over working at desk jobs. Then says its about 40% of them. The majority who are not running about supporting the travel lobby? Crickets.
My current favorite is the seniors keenly looking for partners. All those seniors. Fewer than 20%. But that's the important group, I guess. Then the happily single daringly planning on solo travel (always the travel), are about 10% of their cohort. About the 90% ruining the narrative by liking home? Dream on. These are conclusions they're drawing from their own numbers. Maybe they expect people won't notice.
Anyway, ranting and media literacy aside, it's really dull reading about happy octos who love being home and sitting out reading and watching butterflies, walking the neighborhood, greeting everyone as their paths cross, sharing baked treats with friends, making things by hand, and writing snarky blog posts. They're not really feature fodder.
So don't expect relief from the pictures of silver haired privileged white het people water skiing, laughing happily, any time soon!
I can't help wondering if the ancient folk jumping out of airplanes have led a dismal existence up to now and will do anything for a thrill. Or if they're secretly hoping the parachute won't open. I always wondered about Barbara Bush's motives, enthusiastically applauding Bush the First as he jumped out on every birthday..
Cynical me. I'm guessing the yarn and book lobbies are less powerful. Also sitting reading and knitting isn't very dynamic in pictures. And laughing at yourself is pretty much unknown to feature writers, though it's one of the pleasures of any age.
Here's the nondynamic activity I was involved in last evening while I listened to a Mrs Jefferson mystery
And there was spurtzleuring up yarn for future nondynamic purposes
And, home again on Labor Day there was a lot of tracking down and listening to pro Labor songs, well, anthems, Look for the Union Label, the ILGWU Anthem, Paul Robeson singing Joe Hill to Welsh miners at work, and at a concert in Edinburgh for Scottish miners, packing the Usher Hall. And If I Had a Hammer.
Observed with respect by this one-time Union member, daughter and mother of Union members, my dad in the Steelworkers, I in AFSCME, Handsome Son in Amalgamated Meatcutters.
Happy day everyone, do your thing, honor all year the workers feeding us and keeping us safe. And remember the writers of the features I featured are only trying to make a living, not to make sense.
Great post and a great rant! It made me laugh, especially Barbara Bush's motives.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered about her.
DeleteThank for the the hearty laugh to start my morning!
ReplyDeleteWelcome, I'm sure.
DeleteThis is refreshing to read. I personally have no aspirations to "travel travel travel" or jump out of airplanes, take up online dating, etc. as I ease into retirement.
ReplyDelete"...love being home and sitting out reading and watching butterflies, walking the neighborhood, greeting everyone as their paths cross, sharing baked treats with friends, making things by hand, and writing snarky blog posts." Role model!
A kindred spirit, thank you.
DeleteA great post! I, too, am tired of all those “look what old people can do” ads and stories. Anyone can jump out of a plane (once). How many people can say they know how to use a spurtzleur?
ReplyDeleteThere are different kinds of adventures, true! I bet those old people jumping out of airplanes would think it's some new racket sport!
DeleteI want to travel and see other parts of this beautiful planet if only I didn't have to travel to do it. I should go visit my brother next year up in the PNW since he's the one that always comes to visit here or did when our sister was still alive. I really should but then I'd have to travel.
ReplyDeleteIf they would get around to that magic transportation where you step into a box then out and you're there.
DeleteI'm in unison with you. The other thing that annoys me is the happy, smiling people, usually with wine glass in hand, on the seemingly endless brochures that come through the letter box. They are just not real.
ReplyDeleteThe ones on those endless river cruises?
DeleteThose, too. It was the 'senior living' brochures I was thinking about. I think the models must be in their fifties.
DeleteThere's a meme and I wish I could remember it entirely but it's about seeing these stupid articles about older people traveling and having all these great adventures and doing all these amazing physical things while I'm just happy every day that I manage to get my panties on without falling over.
ReplyDeleteNow I tell you what DOES make me feel old and feeble and that's a friend of mine who is actually a little older than I am who had the guts to move to Mexico after learning the language, leaving her husband behind in Atlanta although they are still married, still love each other, get together often and do indeed travel all over the world.
But hey! Every day I'm getting these underpants on and not falling over!
To each her own!
DeleteAnother interesting discussion over seniors Boud. I remember being worried about the so-called 'experts' insisting that you need to have half a million dollars in savings before you dare even considering retirement. We have always pretty much lived paycheque to paycheque and there's never been much in savings. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that we're doing quite nicely thank you and we certainly don't have half a million dollars.
ReplyDeleteThe experts are probably talking to people earning and spending high six figures.
DeleteOh you just wait! Once a celebrity goes public with loving to stay home to feed birds, watch butterflies and ask how to get rid of slugs, there will be articles all over the place with celebrities doing the me, me, I do that too!
ReplyDeleteWhat puzzles me is how all those traveling seniors have the money to spend on big vacations. The percentages being low explains a lot. I'm guessing if health care wasn't so expensive in America, the more elderly folks could afford a vacation.
All too true
DeleteThat's a pretty good rant on a topic I had never thought about or even been aware of.
ReplyDeleteYou're maybe not the target of the endless brochures. Lucky you.
DeleteI think we all have to do what we want to do and not follow the crowd. I am not a traveler but enjoy nights away. I love to walk and hike with my friend. why jump out of a perfectly good plane. Loneliness is rampart I feel bad for the lonely as there are so many people walking around lonely all they have to do reach out.
ReplyDeletecathy
So true.
DeleteI'm with AC - fairly oblivious to those ads and articles. I guess we're flying below the radar with our simple life. But you and your simple life (a high compliment, as you know) seem to be bombarded - and you don't even watch TV. Always good to have Billie The Pup on your side!
ReplyDeleteChrtis from Boise
PS Glad those turned out to be garlic chives. Ours are pollinator magnets too. And aren't union songs terrific?
I expect it's because I live in an affluent region. Mostly with high six figure incomes. Not me! More like far below the poverty line.
DeleteThose writers are trying to capture an audience that doesn’t include me either. Regular life is exciting enough when you find joy in the simple things!
ReplyDeleteSo true!
DeleteOld people on daring adventures (like H.W.) have much, much more disposable income.
ReplyDeleteYes, they absolutely have. They've had so many trips etc they're running out of ideas. Yes, next, the plane!
DeleteRant away. It makes us feel better. I won’t be jumping out of planes or going down hill skiing any time soon. I live a boring life of crafting, gardening and looking after my family. All things that no one finds exciting
ReplyDeleteBut I don’t care I’m happy
That last sentence is spot on.
DeleteI enjoy my active lifestyle to the fullest and I am eighty-one years old. And I am still travelling too.
ReplyDeletePaul Robeson supporting Welsh miners was a huge thing. He is much loved here. Your garlic is late. And here's to the book-reading, quiet-life-loving minority/majority?
ReplyDeleteYes, you can see from the old newsreels, the expression on their faces. He was much appreciated.
DeleteBillie the pup is very cute and you are a person after my own heart. Funny how far I've come from my youth writing features...
ReplyDeleteMaybe you'll tell us more about your writing at some point? I'd certainly like to know more.
DeleteI don't know about other people but personally enjoy my days best when I have purpose. Travelling can be mind broadening and thought provoking but I hate just 'seeing stuff'. One really needs to live in another culture for a while to even begin to understand what's below the surface... and as for all those wine glass clutching laughing silver travellers...I'm with anyone who chooses to call it fake.
ReplyDeleteYes, what people call travel is often just running about being a tourist. Maybe fun, but I'm always sorry for the people living there being seen as quaint and interesting when they're just trying to live their lives without being pictured and having their local markets invaded by coach loads of tourists!
DeleteMy theory about those brochures is that they're forty year olds in silver wigs.