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Retirement and Its Discontents: Why We Won't Stop Working, Even If We Can
In the popular imagination, retirement promises a well-deserved rest―idle days spent traveling, volunteering, pursuing hobbies, or just puttering around the house. But as the nature of work has changed, becoming not just a means of income but a major source of personal identity, many accomplished professionals struggle with discontentment in their retirement. What are we to do―individually and as a culture―when work and life experience make conventional retirement a burden rather than a reprieve?
In Retirement and Its Discontents , Michelle Pannor Silver considers how we confront the mismatch between idealized and actual retirement. She follows doctors, CEOs, elite athletes, professors, and homemakers during their transition to retirement as they struggle to recalibrate their sense of purpose and self-worth. The work ethic and passion that helped these retirees succeed can make giving in to retirement more difficult, as they confront newfound leisure time with uncertainty and guilt. Drawing on in-depth interviews that capture a range of perceptions and common concerns about what it means to be retired, Silver emphasizes the significance of creating new retirement strategies that support social connectedness and personal fulfillment while countering ageist stereotypes about productivity and employment. A richly detailed and deeply personal exploration of the challenges faced by accomplished retirees, Retirement and Its Discontents demonstrates the importance of personal identity in forging sustainable social norms around retirement and helps us to rethink some of the new challenges for aging societies.
In Retirement and Its Discontents , Michelle Pannor Silver considers how we confront the mismatch between idealized and actual retirement. She follows doctors, CEOs, elite athletes, professors, and homemakers during their transition to retirement as they struggle to recalibrate their sense of purpose and self-worth. The work ethic and passion that helped these retirees succeed can make giving in to retirement more difficult, as they confront newfound leisure time with uncertainty and guilt. Drawing on in-depth interviews that capture a range of perceptions and common concerns about what it means to be retired, Silver emphasizes the significance of creating new retirement strategies that support social connectedness and personal fulfillment while countering ageist stereotypes about productivity and employment. A richly detailed and deeply personal exploration of the challenges faced by accomplished retirees, Retirement and Its Discontents demonstrates the importance of personal identity in forging sustainable social norms around retirement and helps us to rethink some of the new challenges for aging societies.
296 pages, Hardcover
Published August 7, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 14, 2021
The author believes that many people will prefer to keep working instead of retiring. I can imagine that is possibly true. But she investigates this by looking at groups of people with specific jobs, or roles, that have retired. She focuses on 5 specific groups. In common, people from these groups traditionally were able to determine their own retirement from productive work. Some, like some CEOs, may have a forced retirement age from their company, but CEOs commonly can continue active work on boards. Other careers discussed had more self determination as to the ending.
Besides the group of CEOs the author discusses, she delves into doctors, professors, elite athletes, and homemakers. I found the choices of careers perplexing. While elite athletes retiring from sports at a young age would have to deal with some aspects of retirement dealt with by a typical 65 year old corporate retiree, they really aren’t retiring from work – they are always continuing their working life. Likewise homemakers – they continue homemaking but just refer to themselves as retired at some point in time. Professors often can continue teaching, researching, or administrating even after retirement. Doctors, especially those in private practice, may be able to choose their own retirement as well. The ability to choose retirement timing, I would think, would greatly impact how people think about retirement. I found it surprising that the author didn’t investigate the majority of careerists, especially those that left the workforce for health or employer age limitations/discrimination.
Overall, I liked the author’s case study method of telling the stories of many retirees in each group. Despite the limitations of focusing on “fringe” groups of retirees, I found many of the stories relatable and felt there were a spectrum of life experiences covered. I felt the author’s conclusions are mostly based on her investigation of these “fringe” groups, and that inclusion of more common retiree groups would have helped make her case. Even so, there is plenty to think about for those considering the impact of retirement on an individual, including the prospective retiree.
Besides the group of CEOs the author discusses, she delves into doctors, professors, elite athletes, and homemakers. I found the choices of careers perplexing. While elite athletes retiring from sports at a young age would have to deal with some aspects of retirement dealt with by a typical 65 year old corporate retiree, they really aren’t retiring from work – they are always continuing their working life. Likewise homemakers – they continue homemaking but just refer to themselves as retired at some point in time. Professors often can continue teaching, researching, or administrating even after retirement. Doctors, especially those in private practice, may be able to choose their own retirement as well. The ability to choose retirement timing, I would think, would greatly impact how people think about retirement. I found it surprising that the author didn’t investigate the majority of careerists, especially those that left the workforce for health or employer age limitations/discrimination.
Overall, I liked the author’s case study method of telling the stories of many retirees in each group. Despite the limitations of focusing on “fringe” groups of retirees, I found many of the stories relatable and felt there were a spectrum of life experiences covered. I felt the author’s conclusions are mostly based on her investigation of these “fringe” groups, and that inclusion of more common retiree groups would have helped make her case. Even so, there is plenty to think about for those considering the impact of retirement on an individual, including the prospective retiree.
February 3, 2019
Retirement. Mandatory withdrawal from the workplace was until recently as black and white a transition as the passing of the seasons. Now, with the retirement age going further and further up and the problem of an ageing generation to be supported by an ever-decreasing workforce, this study is a timely reminder that perhaps our future definitions of what retirement needs to be may need redefining. The baby boomers at least have lived longer than those generations where death often followed the first year of retirement.
For those who do have a good pension to look forward to, a future life of leisure pottering in the garden, playing golf or just socialising at bridge parties may be all well and good.. Beyond whether not there is any nest egg to draw upon or the state pension will be enough to subsidy on, the question then is whether or not enforced idleness at any prescribed age may be more a curse than a gift. This study explores these issues specifically with those who have struggled with identity issues because of a strong work ethic. Five in-depth interviews were carried out with with five categories of retirees: doctors, CEO's, athletes, university professors and those who has opted to keep house instead of work. The latter may include unemployed people or individuals with independent means though motherhood, as pointed out, is even more 24/7 as a life path than following a career in either of the life paths already mentioned.
From each of the sets of interviews, evidence does seem to bear out the evidence that for most of these individuals, retirement was experienced not as a reward for a life well lived, but more as being unemployed - perhaps a dangerous comparison to make, when certain governments devoted to austerity are beginning to call a pension lo g contributed to as a 'benefit.' No amount of cruises, coffee mornings or golf rounds could make up for the loss of identity, making a contribution to society that retirement entails. One professor went back to work, even though he was unpaid. Doctors went on to other areas where their expertise could come in useful. The entrepreneurial spirit did not leave the CEO's.
For the housewives alone, it seems retirement did confer some kind of dignity in status.
The material did cover the case of one doctor who was retired because he was seen as a danger to his patients. Other doctors and CEO'S did lament the lack of a true work ethic in the newer generation of medical, when the housewives often expressed jealousy of the wider choice open to women and mothers nowadays.
What the study basically recommends is that individuals should be able to decide for themselves when they should retire rather than having a specific birthday mark a mandatory time, with perhaps a more phased period before total withdrawal from the workplace. Older workers may then still feel free to give if their experience in the workplace according to their level of fitness.
There are two appendices at the back explaining how the interviews were carried out and methods used to allow the stories of the interviewees to speak for themselves without too much author interpretation and bearing in mind how any rexmcihnting may be embellished due to subjective interpretations. This makes the sociology of this study more reliable, less anecdotal, though on an anecdotal level. However, this study is certainly interesting enough a read to make it eminently relateable to all readers, whether or not they may be about to face retirement themselves.
For those who do have a good pension to look forward to, a future life of leisure pottering in the garden, playing golf or just socialising at bridge parties may be all well and good.. Beyond whether not there is any nest egg to draw upon or the state pension will be enough to subsidy on, the question then is whether or not enforced idleness at any prescribed age may be more a curse than a gift. This study explores these issues specifically with those who have struggled with identity issues because of a strong work ethic. Five in-depth interviews were carried out with with five categories of retirees: doctors, CEO's, athletes, university professors and those who has opted to keep house instead of work. The latter may include unemployed people or individuals with independent means though motherhood, as pointed out, is even more 24/7 as a life path than following a career in either of the life paths already mentioned.
From each of the sets of interviews, evidence does seem to bear out the evidence that for most of these individuals, retirement was experienced not as a reward for a life well lived, but more as being unemployed - perhaps a dangerous comparison to make, when certain governments devoted to austerity are beginning to call a pension lo g contributed to as a 'benefit.' No amount of cruises, coffee mornings or golf rounds could make up for the loss of identity, making a contribution to society that retirement entails. One professor went back to work, even though he was unpaid. Doctors went on to other areas where their expertise could come in useful. The entrepreneurial spirit did not leave the CEO's.
For the housewives alone, it seems retirement did confer some kind of dignity in status.
The material did cover the case of one doctor who was retired because he was seen as a danger to his patients. Other doctors and CEO'S did lament the lack of a true work ethic in the newer generation of medical, when the housewives often expressed jealousy of the wider choice open to women and mothers nowadays.
What the study basically recommends is that individuals should be able to decide for themselves when they should retire rather than having a specific birthday mark a mandatory time, with perhaps a more phased period before total withdrawal from the workplace. Older workers may then still feel free to give if their experience in the workplace according to their level of fitness.
There are two appendices at the back explaining how the interviews were carried out and methods used to allow the stories of the interviewees to speak for themselves without too much author interpretation and bearing in mind how any rexmcihnting may be embellished due to subjective interpretations. This makes the sociology of this study more reliable, less anecdotal, though on an anecdotal level. However, this study is certainly interesting enough a read to make it eminently relateable to all readers, whether or not they may be about to face retirement themselves.
September 8, 2019
Retirement and it’s Discontents is essentially a collection of case studies of varyingly discontented retirees from five different groups, academics, doctors, elite athletes, CEOs, and homemakers. Each individuals experience differs, but Silver manages to find and describe some interesting similarities. The interviews, research, and conclusion are mostly well done, and there’s even some description of the process. My main takeaway, as a self-identifies blended workaholic, is “... these narratives serve as a warning for people with a strong work identity that the phenomenon of retirement is ambiguous.” I think I’ve got quite a few years of work left in me, but my retirement will like be quite challenging. I recommend this book to anyone who has worked (in any capacity), has or will retire at some point, or knows someone like that, i.e. everyone. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2019
Retirement and it’s Discontents is essentially a collection of case studies of varyingly discontented retirees from five different groups, academics, doctors, elite athletes, CEOs, and homemakers. Each individuals experience differs, but Silver manages to find and describe some interesting similarities. The interviews, research, and conclusion are mostly well done, and there’s even some description of the process. My main takeaway, as a self-identifies blended workaholic, is “... these narratives serve as a warning for people with a strong work identity that the phenomenon of retirement is ambiguous.” I think I’ve got quite a few years of work left in me, but my retirement will like be quite challenging. I recommend this book to anyone who has worked (in any capacity), has or will retire at some point, or knows someone like that, i.e. everyone. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2019
Given that I am looking retire i the face, I thought this books was thought provoking. I kind of have always thought everyone looked toward retirement with joy! I know I am! I have already written my self a whole new past and persona! But it was interesting to read others perspectives of it. Michelle Silver did her homework; good read.
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
November 19, 2018
Enlightened me not at all.
March 26, 2019
Minuteman. Interviews with academics, doctors, CEOs, athletes, homemakers having difficulty with transition to retirement. Not insightful.
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February 28, 2020306.38 S5873 2018
November 6, 2023
Worth reading. While I couldn't relate exactly to most of the people interviewed, the experiences of the people got me thinking about how to think about retirement.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews