Comments on: Boomsday: Coming to a Theater Near You http://catholicexchange.com/2010/03/13/128073/ Catholic News, Catholic Articles, Catholic Apologetics, Catholic Content, Catholic Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: goral http://catholicexchange.com/2010/03/13/128073/comment-page-1/#comment-46045 goral Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:37:34 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=128073#comment-46045 We are a forward looking society. There are economic and technological benefits of that. For these reasons we are very mindful of opportunity, cost and efficiency. The elderly do not fit very well into our economic model. Let's face it, they/we are very demanding and taxing on the healthcare system as one must expect. The elderly, for the most part, are also a drag on the economy. They spend most of their money on service oriented industry, certainly not the wealth of the nation. In addition, so many waste money on gambling and other frivolous entertainment. There are bumper stickers that brag about "spending the kids’ inheritance". The problem with the elderly is one of the curses of affluence. It's here to stay and it will only be exasperated by a productive workforce that is shrinking. The picture is not good for those of us who are close to being labeled with the "elderly" term. The good news is that the curse will be reversed as our society is economically weaker and the elderly will be forced to help their younger members who in turn will return the favor and care for their/our aging needs. The Good Shepherd does not abandon His flock to the wolves. We are a forward looking society. There are economic and technological benefits of that. For these reasons we are very mindful of opportunity, cost and efficiency. The elderly do not fit very well into our economic model.

Let’s face it, they/we are very demanding and taxing on the healthcare system as one must expect. The elderly, for the most part, are also a drag on the economy.
They spend most of their money on service oriented industry, certainly not the wealth of the nation. In addition, so many waste money on gambling and other frivolous entertainment. There are bumper stickers that brag about “spending
the kids’ inheritance”.

The problem with the elderly is one of the curses of affluence. It’s here to stay and it will only be exasperated by a productive workforce that is shrinking.
The picture is not good for those of us who are close to being labeled with the “elderly” term.

The good news is that the curse will be reversed as our society is economically
weaker and the elderly will be forced to help their younger members who in turn will return the favor and care for their/our aging needs.

The Good Shepherd does not abandon His flock to the wolves.

]]> By: cmacri http://catholicexchange.com/2010/03/13/128073/comment-page-1/#comment-46038 cmacri Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:16:40 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=128073#comment-46038 Isn't every phase of marriage a time to grow in love for each other and closer to God? As parents of a large family, we have come to accept the fact that we will probably have to work until no longer able for physical or medical reasons. At the same time, we are teaching our children by both word and example that they have a responsibility to provide hands-on care to aging parents and relatives. We have siblings, who, for reasons not necessarily of their choosing, will end up without any support system except their nieces and nephews. Fortunately, with a large family, it is reasonable to expect that there will be a close relative to step up to plate and help out - especially if they have been taught that this is their responsibility all along. Isn’t every phase of marriage a time to grow in love for each other and closer to God? As parents of a large family, we have come to accept the fact that we will probably have to work until no longer able for physical or medical reasons. At the same time, we are teaching our children by both word and example that they have a responsibility to provide hands-on care to aging parents and relatives. We have siblings, who, for reasons not necessarily of their choosing, will end up without any support system except their nieces and nephews. Fortunately, with a large family, it is reasonable to expect that there will be a close relative to step up to plate and help out – especially if they have been taught that this is their responsibility all along.

]]> By: PrairieHawk http://catholicexchange.com/2010/03/13/128073/comment-page-1/#comment-46034 PrairieHawk Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:23:21 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=128073#comment-46034 The retirement period is a time for husband and wife, if both are still living, to grow in love for each other, and for each to grow closer to God. It may not be strictly a "right" but I have a hard time separating the obligation to support our elders (an obligation which comes from the Fourth Commandment) from their entitlement to a period of time for rest from their life's labors and for a deepening of their spiritual yearning for the God they are going soon to meet. I think a charitable society will make provisions for our elders to live out their full lives in peace and security. I'd say it's the least we can do for them, and for God as well, to whom we owe the same duty we owe our elders. The retirement period is a time for husband and wife, if both are still living, to grow in love for each other, and for each to grow closer to God. It may not be strictly a “right” but I have a hard time separating the obligation to support our elders (an obligation which comes from the Fourth Commandment) from their entitlement to a period of time for rest from their life’s labors and for a deepening of their spiritual yearning for the God they are going soon to meet. I think a charitable society will make provisions for our elders to live out their full lives in peace and security. I’d say it’s the least we can do for them, and for God as well, to whom we owe the same duty we owe our elders.

]]> By: SeanReynoldsNZ http://catholicexchange.com/2010/03/13/128073/comment-page-1/#comment-46032 SeanReynoldsNZ Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:39:49 +0000 http://catholicexchange.com/?p=128073#comment-46032 There is another possibility, and that is to recognise that retirement is not a right, but something that you can have when you can afford it. Add to that the fact that a lot of people don't have children because they see children as undesirable financial burdens, and you get the fact that the root cause of the problem is that people expect someone elses kids to pay for their retirement. I have a solution to the problem. Get rid of pensions, except perhaps for those who served in the armed forces. If you have kids, then they can look after you in retirement. If you didn't have kids, even if you wanted them but were infertile, it is not unreasonable to argue that you were capable of generating the financial resources you needed for retirement because you had the time and less financial outgoings, and thus had the opportunity to build the resources you need to retire. You are still responsible for your own life. I write this as a 30 year old with a young family, and a massive student loan that still needs to be paid back. I grew up in a society where the generation before mine got free (really taxpayer funded) education, and expects a generation that grew up on user pays to pay for them. I have more important responsibilities than looking after other people who didn't want a family and don't want to pay for their own retirement. There is another possibility, and that is to recognise that retirement is not a right, but something that you can have when you can afford it. Add to that the fact that a lot of people don’t have children because they see children as undesirable financial burdens, and you get the fact that the root cause of the problem is that people expect someone elses kids to pay for their retirement.

I have a solution to the problem. Get rid of pensions, except perhaps for those who served in the armed forces. If you have kids, then they can look after you in retirement. If you didn’t have kids, even if you wanted them but were infertile, it is not unreasonable to argue that you were capable of generating the financial resources you needed for retirement because you had the time and less financial outgoings, and thus had the opportunity to build the resources you need to retire. You are still responsible for your own life.

I write this as a 30 year old with a young family, and a massive student loan that still needs to be paid back. I grew up in a society where the generation before mine got free (really taxpayer funded) education, and expects a generation that grew up on user pays to pay for them. I have more important responsibilities than looking after other people who didn’t want a family and don’t want to pay for their own retirement.

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