“Nothing against Zsa Zsa Gabor, but she is single-handedly bringing down Medicare.”~Oct. 11th tweet from Albert Einstein
No folks, this isn’t a misprint, just a recent missive from famed comedian, actor, filmmaker, and author Albert Brooks (nee Albert Einstein). It’s also a rather prescient remark that could have been included in his recent book, 2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America, which I just finished reading.
Many of Brooks’s fans would aptly describe him as the consummate worrywart, and that perception is evident throughout the book’s narrative. In 2030, however, his concerns are frighteningly plausible, albeit mixed with his trademark quirky sense of humor. The storyline follows an America where the population of “olds” (those over 70) is continually increasing due to major medical breakthroughs—cancer has been cured, cosmetic rejuvenation drugs have exploded in both their level of efficacy and use, exciting new discoveries are made in the treatment of bone deterioration—much to the dismay of young people, who see their chances at the good life dissipating because of growing resentment at how their elders are reaping these benefits, and other entitlements at the expense of sapping America’s resources. Out of this resentment, gangs form and violence against the “olds” escalates, much to the dismay of the current President, who while empathetic, knows he’ll risk getting re-elected by exhibiting any outward support; most significantly by incurring the wrath of the political will of the AARP (whose power is exponential compared to today’s real-world organization).
The story unfolds additional, albeit equally crucial plotlines involving our country’s massive debt (making our current levels seem paltry), strikingly detailed by the problems resulting from a massive earthquake in Los Angeles. A by-product of this dilemma is a relationship with the Chinese that (without wanting to reveal too much detail for those of you who haven’t read the book) will seem untenable yet possibly all-too-real.
As the “olds” versus the younger generation issues provide the book’s foundation, the logical
extension of Brook’s musings really hit home. The solvency of our social security program has been under intense scrutiny and Gen X and Gen Y are fearful of what the future holds for them. They wonder how to achieve the “American dream” of home ownership, now that most credit windows have been shuttered amidst the recent Wall Street crisis, combined with more stringent mortgage-applicability requirements.
Boomers (and seniors) meanwhile face their own hurdles. If you’re 50 plus years-of-age and have been recently laid-off, prepare to encounter bias in hiring due to perceived notions of being too expensive and not technologically proficient. In addition, boomers represent a proportion of our country’s wealth and consumer spending that dwarfs the amount of marketing expenditures geared towards us—just look at television and movies, where the magic demographic is 18-34 year olds. Such nonsense make you think that Brooks may want to re-define the “olds” as anyone over 50…boy is that ever a chilling thought!
Growing older sometimes seems as if it’s an anathema, as opposed to being viewed as a well-earned right and privilege (the book addresses this debate). Who among us has the right to impose a ceiling on when we’re no longer allowed to thrive? Boomers, in the opinion of many (including me), are not going to allow ourselves to be ignored; we’re simply too vital for this to happen…
-Neal
