Daily Lessons from Life 29 July 2010 - MM: Work as long as you can

"Thu, Jul 29, 2010 my paper - MM: Work as long as you can

SINGAPOREANS should work and learn for as long they can, even in old age, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said yesterday.

Besides ameliorating the problem of a smaller workforce as the birth rate drops, it will also help Singaporeans lead healthy lives in their later years, he said.

'We got to make old people productive. And I don't think there should be a retirement age,' he said at a dialogue on productivity and leadership at the Singapore National Employers Federation 30th Anniversary CEO and Employers Summit at Resorts World Sentosa."

I absolutely agreed with MM Lee on this one. Especially if the older Singaporeans work because they like to and want to but NOT because they have to make a living!

Lessons for me are:

1. As life expectancy extended, there is a really challenge of considering how do you spend your remaining living years WITHOUT active income? Things are NOT getting cheaper as you aged! In fact, when you have NO income, you are quite dead unless you expect your children, who may have their own family to take care of, to take care of you!;

2. while it makes sense for the children to support their aged and no-income parents, 4 of them to be precise!, it is not realistic if the children do not have the mean to do so. This is not the case with many of the wealth and rich people in the higher echelon of Singapore's society, and the ruling class. They have NO problem getting a high paying job - some due to merit while some due to gratitude shown by past beneficiaries. This is the biggest challenge to overcome before we can really talk about 'keeping working to be healthy and NOT for the money!';

3. the point will surely be debated vigorously by many Singaporeans who may not be able to understand that old folks do not want to retire because they COULD NOT afford it. Also, what type of vision is that when everyone, alright not everyone but those who did not make it, has to work ALL their life just to make a living? NOT a vision for me. More like a nightmare! Keeping one employed is not just about one's willingness. It will have to do with being healthy to start with before one can talk about 'working to keep healthy and active'.

May the older folks get the choice of deciding if they want to retire and live healthily and happily or to work happily and healthily because they enjoy it and NOT because they HAVE TO!! That will be a good Dream to Dream as we fly our National Flag this coming National Day!