A Boring Dystopia

This is what countries without a good social support network look like. It's either government or younger generations that take care of elders. The US used to be government with retirement and social security but there's a shift and US kids were not raised in a social situation that supports elderly, so it's going to be a hard transition. The US has forgotten what the government was established for.

My eighty year-old parents are driving for DoorDash. In my car.

If they don't, this supposedly 'free' country of ours will allow banks to force them onto the streets where they will be left for dead.

Fuck capitalism.

Yeah well old people are the reason old people have to work like this

Whew. I'm so glad this couple wasn't subject to the horrors of socialism! Only capitalism can keep them gainfully employed until they are near-death. No other economic system can even compare!

in before a republican tries to sell this as excellent work ethics, patriotism and american dream

At least its not being presented as a feel good story. Still remember bush brining up the person with three jobs as inspiring.

I hate seeing old people working at establishments like grocery stores. It is the saddest representation that our system does not work. They should be living their life traveling, spending time with family, or gardening. No one should have to work into their 60's.

Welcome to what younger generations realized a decade ago or more. Most of us will never own a home or retire. I plan to end it when my life becomes unbearable in old age rather than be a slave to the system. That’s why, even though we (spouse and I) financially save for the future, I live for now. We (collectively) have no future. Accepting it is easier than being depressed about it.

Note: this doesn’t mean I don’t do what I can to try to save our (collective) future. It’d be selfish not to try.

I feel sorry for the 81 year old and her husband. However, they have made nearly every wrong financial decision over most of their lives.

• In 1994 husband was making $90k a year and quit that job to start up a band and teach music lessons
• They bought a fixer-upper house in 2002 to flip it, except they still had it in hand in 2008 when the real estate market crashed
• They had $75k in the market prior to the crash, and sold it all at the bottom of the market before the rebound.
• They never saved more than $10k in a 401k
• They defaulted on their mortgage in 2015 and lost he house, but did gain $115k from the forced sale.
• They declared bankruptcy (it doesn't say when). Usually this protects the house, as in you're not kicked out. So I can't quite square why the house was forced for sale if they were under bankruptcy protection. This is a clue they had a lot more debt than just the house.
• "The income from a side business Lydia had started to help people downsize their homes, and the piano lessons that Bill gave, weren't enough." This was 2015 and at best their only income was a couple small side hustles. Admittedly they were in their early 70s at this point.
• Even today it looks like they're spending over 20% of their income on car related expenses (payment, insurance, gas).
• They're also still living in Connecticut which looks to be more expensive place to live. A quick Google search of West Virginia 55+ one bedroom apartments go for $450-$900. So they could probably cut their rent in half if they moved to a cheaper city/state.

They've truly had some horrible timing and luck, however I truly hope their situation improves.

"I feel trapped working, but I can't stop working," Lydia says, sitting up to cuddle her basset hound, Brigette. Her husband, Bill, gives her a kiss but lets her be. The 90-year-old would like to get a job to help Lydia pay the bills, but because of health problems, there's little he can do.

"I feel so guilty that I can't work," Bill says.

"You can't work because of your age and your health issues," Lydia snaps back. "There's no sense feeling guilty about it."

Hi,

Welcome to the Universe. You get to exist for a comparatively extremely short blip of time before you return to the nothingness forever. Despite incredible advances in technology and subsequent major increases in productivity we're going to need you to continue working right up until you return to the nothingness. Thanks for your cooperation!

LOL
loser country

Man that sucks.

However I have to be that person and say I know people who wasted tons of money on stupid shit and made dumb choices even though they had advisors helping them, and are working at Walmart in their 70s because of it. Those people shouldn't be rewarded with regular Joe's money. Now, billionaires can foot that bill, like they should everything. But dont punish the 99.9% (which is what will actually happen. And why people are afraid of liberals in office. No one seems to get that, and thats why the right keeps winning. It needs to be clearly stated in the lefts playbook that anyone making under a billion dollars will be left alone. Then they may have a chance.)

Keep in mind these are not my thoughts, these are my observations of the Common Person in red states.

I'm about to turn 52 and I've known my whole life that I'd never get to retire.

This generation needs to pick itself up by their bootstraps and remember that work dignifies. 81 years young! /s