Apparently, Innumeracy Rules

[davidschroth]

I was listening to the radio, and Marketplace was talking with half of the Freakonomics team (the journalist half).

The assertion was made (on behalf of the economist half) that the doubling of Life Expectancy in the last mumble-mumble years meant that current retirees could expect to spend twice as much time being retired as retirees could expect mumble-mumble years ago.

Feh, The stupid (on the part of all involved), it burns.

ETA: Note that it's not that hard to find the explanation and relevant data -

http://www.ssa.gov/history/lifeexpect.html

shame on the journalist/economist promoting this falsehood, and double shame on the radio host for not calling them on their bullshit.

Comments

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

My grandfather retired at 55 and lived until her was 88. He never imagined he would live that long.
Of course my other grandfather just retired a couple of years ago at the age of 80.

I suppose that it depends on how long one plans to be retired maybe it will be double but I don't think most of us will get the 30 year my grandfather enjoyed. I suspect by the time I get to current retiring age that nearly everyone who is healthy enough will continue to work at least part time out of necessity.

[barondave.livejournal.com]

Even Way Back Then, older people didn't necessarily "retire". Plenty of people worked until they dropped.