What Sort of Older Person Do You Want to Become?
How often do you interact with elders? Interesting post at Marginal Revolution about what sort of older person you’d like to become.
Reading the paragraph below made me realize that outside of immediate family (Mom and my in-laws), I do a very poor job of cross-generational communication – especially with older persons. Another reason I should stop by and see my Uncle (my Dad’s brother) more. Here’s one reason why:
Actually, for me, staying in my generation results in diminished fun and high relative status, I’d prefer to hang out with my kids.
One of the comments to the post had this to say on older people in business world vs. academic world:
I’d agree with that. I look around me and see that many VPs are my age give or take a year. I have to go 4 steps up the chain of command (to the company President) before I hit anyone actually older than me. My guess is that most of the upper echelon is in their mid 50s.
Reading the paragraph below made me realize that outside of immediate family (Mom and my in-laws), I do a very poor job of cross-generational communication – especially with older persons. Another reason I should stop by and see my Uncle (my Dad’s brother) more. Here’s one reason why:
Overall I am struck by how little beneficial trade there is between the generations. I find this one of the most striking stylized facts of the social sciences; one simple model is that people don't want to leave groups that produce fun and high relative status for them, and that is what switching across the generations usually entails.
Actually, for me, staying in my generation results in diminished fun and high relative status, I’d prefer to hang out with my kids.
One of the comments to the post had this to say on older people in business world vs. academic world:
The biggest mistake elderly faculty make is not retiring. Nobody knows what to do with this unproductive tenured geriatric deadwood that sucks up valuable resources.
Quite the opposite is the case in the business world, where the trend is toward retirement at ridiculously young ages. 55 is the new 65, and all that.
I’d agree with that. I look around me and see that many VPs are my age give or take a year. I have to go 4 steps up the chain of command (to the company President) before I hit anyone actually older than me. My guess is that most of the upper echelon is in their mid 50s.
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