Do I really even want to retire? Retirement homes are mostly dumping grounds for the elderly where they can be abused out of the public's sight. I think I'd rather work until I drop dead instead of retiring under capitalism.
Remember near the beginning of the COVID pandemic when right-wing talking heads were saying it's okay if a ton of the elderly die because they're not working or paying taxes? That's more or less an unstated universal sentiment, and I'd rather not live out the remainder of my life knowing that most people think I'm a worthless parasite who deserves to die.
The idea of saving for a pension is so that you can live in dignity in retirement, not be squirreled away in a home (unless you need care).
I strongly reject the notion that pensioners are 'worthless parasite[s] who deserves to die' just because right wingers say it. And you better believe the talking heads on TV and the CEOs who say this shit are rubbing their hands together waiting for their own pension/retirement.
Just to deal with the tax question. It may depend on where you live. But in many countries, pensioners pay taxes as much as other workers. Because pension contributions face deferred taxes. I.e. you don't pay tax on the contribution when you make it, you pay tax on that portion of your wages when you receive it (i.e. in retirement). This may keep your tax liabilities lower by putting you on a lower tax bracket (not always). But you're still paying taxes.
Retirement is "supposed" to be that a person works for like 20-30 years and retires somewhere at 50 or older if they want.
Something like 1/3 of your life learning, 1/3 "being productive" to each person's potential, and then 1/3 for rest for a job well done.
Capitalism has reached a stage (and to be clear, it was and is MUCH worse for people in the past and now days in third world countries) where basically you get like 3-4 years as a baby of relative freedom and then it's full blown competition from then on. You better get into the special classes with the smart kids by middle school! You better be in AP courses in high school so you can turbo boost your college education! Better take 1-2 courses more per semester than your parents or grandparents ever could've imagined! Better not get less than As! And oh, just in case you burn out or want to just not participate in the rat race, here's six figures in debt, with interest, thanks Joe!, so that you can never quit or even consider it.
Now retirement goes from 50 to 65-70 before you can even pay off loans and if you were lucky and intelligent enough and had parents or advisors who shoved you in the right direction MAYBE you pay off a house too around 60. Time for retirement right? With what fucking money? Now you get to start a new "post retirement" career until you're 80, break a hip showering for work, get fired for not showing up at Home Depot, get a hospital bill that forces you to take a mortgage out on the house, then you die in a few years and your entire estate, the sum total of your entire life, is liquidated to pay the fucking hospital bill. Your kids and grandkids are worse off and the spiral keeps spiraling ever faster.
Now you work 90% of your life. 1/3 for being a kid at the beginning and 1/3 for enjoying things as an elder? Pfft. Work work work, we're heading back to 1830 in this motherfucker! You get poorer, boss man gets richer, and you'll be begging for the sweet release of death by the end, all alone because who can take off time from work to visit you?
Do I really even want to retire? Retirement homes are mostly dumping grounds for the elderly where they can be abused out of the public's sight. I think I'd rather work until I drop dead instead of retiring under capitalism.
Remember near the beginning of the COVID pandemic when right-wing talking heads were saying it's okay if a ton of the elderly die because they're not working or paying taxes? That's more or less an unstated universal sentiment, and I'd rather not live out the remainder of my life knowing that most people think I'm a worthless parasite who deserves to die.
The idea of saving for a pension is so that you can live in dignity in retirement, not be squirreled away in a home (unless you need care).
I strongly reject the notion that pensioners are 'worthless parasite[s] who deserves to die' just because right wingers say it. And you better believe the talking heads on TV and the CEOs who say this shit are rubbing their hands together waiting for their own pension/retirement.
Just to deal with the tax question. It may depend on where you live. But in many countries, pensioners pay taxes as much as other workers. Because pension contributions face deferred taxes. I.e. you don't pay tax on the contribution when you make it, you pay tax on that portion of your wages when you receive it (i.e. in retirement). This may keep your tax liabilities lower by putting you on a lower tax bracket (not always). But you're still paying taxes.
Retirement is "supposed" to be that a person works for like 20-30 years and retires somewhere at 50 or older if they want.
Something like 1/3 of your life learning, 1/3 "being productive" to each person's potential, and then 1/3 for rest for a job well done.
Capitalism has reached a stage (and to be clear, it was and is MUCH worse for people in the past and now days in third world countries) where basically you get like 3-4 years as a baby of relative freedom and then it's full blown competition from then on. You better get into the special classes with the smart kids by middle school! You better be in AP courses in high school so you can turbo boost your college education! Better take 1-2 courses more per semester than your parents or grandparents ever could've imagined! Better not get less than As! And oh, just in case you burn out or want to just not participate in the rat race, here's six figures in debt, with interest, thanks Joe!, so that you can never quit or even consider it.
Now retirement goes from 50 to 65-70 before you can even pay off loans and if you were lucky and intelligent enough and had parents or advisors who shoved you in the right direction MAYBE you pay off a house too around 60. Time for retirement right? With what fucking money? Now you get to start a new "post retirement" career until you're 80, break a hip showering for work, get fired for not showing up at Home Depot, get a hospital bill that forces you to take a mortgage out on the house, then you die in a few years and your entire estate, the sum total of your entire life, is liquidated to pay the fucking hospital bill. Your kids and grandkids are worse off and the spiral keeps spiraling ever faster.
Now you work 90% of your life. 1/3 for being a kid at the beginning and 1/3 for enjoying things as an elder? Pfft. Work work work, we're heading back to 1830 in this motherfucker! You get poorer, boss man gets richer, and you'll be begging for the sweet release of death by the end, all alone because who can take off time from work to visit you?