Mandatory Retirement
One more, New Rule for the New Normal, collapsed U.S. consumer, debt-driven economy: Anyone over age 65 that is not employed cannot be counted in Federal unemployment statistics.
In short, America can no longer afford to be led by the same, old, white, self-centered, less-capable (e.g. not computer literate) generation that led it to ruin over the last 50 years.
A perfect example – someone too old to lead a government supported firm – is new GM chairman, Ed Whitacre. I find GM’s ads with Whitacre -- implying some kind of new day for GM – patently offensive, simply because the person touting GM products is older than my father, who is at least smart and noble enough to have retired. How many more millions, how many more estates, how many more yachts do you need Mr. Whitacre? You were chairman of the board and chief executive officer of AT&T Corp – but don’t use email or have a computer in your office. WTF?!
America has too many problems that require a major, younger, less individualistic – less what’s in it for me -- rethink. Old people -- that melted the icecaps, that didn’t switch our nation off fossil fuels after the ‘74 embargo and that continue to vote to increase unfunded health care benefits (e.g. Medicare Part D) for themselves -- while 50 million are uninsured in this country and anyone not on Medicare is dropped for becoming sick – cannot be trusted to fix America.
Old People of America: You had your chance. And just look at the world you’re leaving behind. You have clearly demonstrated you are permanently conditioned to insane levels of individualism and greed and that you fundamentally lack capacity for collective social responsibility. Now, please get out of our way, before the rest of us must force you to – so those of us that can use computers, that innately demonstrate needed capacity for increasing automation and efficiency and that care less about ourselves and more about our society and planet, can move forward. You failed! Now get out of the way and give the future a chance.