# Cheated by the American Dream of Retirement By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2024-01-07 There is standard advice about preparing for the last quarter of life. In particular, this advice primarily revolves around financial planning to support the American dream of retirement. Here, the objective is to have enough money not to work from age 65 until one's inevitable death. Left unexamined, one growing up in such a culture would think nothing of this other than it is their God-given right to have it in the greatest country on earth (stereotypical American bias added for effect). However, lurking just below the surface is a slew of assumptions and beliefs that are objectively and subjectively questionable. For example, this model assumes that one will have time to enjoy life to its fullest after one has worked for 45 years. But what if one does not live that long? Here, one is cheated out of the promised freedom from work. Similarly, what if one lives too long and runs out of money? Again, one is fooled and forced to work till death. Finally, what if one retires with health conditions preventing one from thoroughly enjoying life as one would have at a younger, healthier age? Cheated once again by the American dream of retirement. With so many uncertainties and failure points, is it any wonder that the older generation is primarily home-bound, watching Fox News, and dreaming of yesteryear while feeling increasingly fooled by the system? They have been cheated as the American retirement dream is deeply flawed operationally, philosophically, and theologically. What might be a better model? Moderation and balance. Enjoy life in the present, set aside money to mitigate the risk of an uncertain future, and never plan on retiring. Work must always be done to reduce human suffering, battle the status quo, and build the bridge of progress. #### Related Items [[Retirement]] [[Economics]] [[The Human Condition]] [[American]] [[Work]] [[Status Quo]] [[Progress]] [[Cheated]]