I was listening to the BBC on NPR (The double whammy! I’m a glutton for punishment) this morning on the way to work. They were discussing the failing European pension system, how cuts were going to have to be made, etc. They interviewed an English women who was complaining that she might have to continue working after age 60. Her view summarized- “Its not fair, you get tired easily after 60, why do I have to work? Why are they so mean to me?”.
My points of referance: my grandfather worked until age 77 or so doing manual labor for the Malden Department of Public Works, at which time they made him retire. He died at 89, having smoked pipes and cigarettes, chewed tabacco, taken snuff, drank Irish whiskey and worked his whole life. My father retired at 74, and worked part time for about two more years.
Her attitude is a far cry from the English tradition of a stiff upper lip, typified from one of my favorite sailing anticdotes. Blondie Hasler, former Royal Marine Commando (he led the real raid shown in the movie “Cockleshell Heroes“), founder of the OSTAR (Single Handed Trans-Atlantic Race), and author, was asked why he didn’t carry a radio for emergencies while sailing. He responded that it would be “more seemly to drown like a gentleman.”
My- how times have changed.