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"We’re waiting for retirement at 67, and they keep bumping it up — who knows what age it will be for me — 70s? I thought it was foolish not to [leave]."

Interesting article and this guy brings up a good point. Many of these young people (I get to say that since my kids are this age) probably do see the whole social security thing spiraling out of control and no one doing anything about it. It gives a sense of helplessness to them.

I agree with many of them, go do what you want to do in life. You don't have to wait until you are old to do it!! My only fear is I think a lot of these people may be bored with a normal job and life because they have no spiritual balance and they are going off to try to find that. No one gets satisfaction out of just a job, you have to have something else. Whether its a family, community service, your church or all of the above (preferable).

Many of these young people (I get to say that since my kids are this age) probably do see the whole social security thing spiraling out of control and no one doing anything about it. It gives a sense of helplessness to them.

I disagree. Social Security, or the premise of it, depends on a lifetime of work. Of earning a paycheck, paying your way through life, of paying for housing, raising a family, making sacrifices in order to save now, so that you might be able to enjoy your future...when you can't work because of older age.

I don't think most young adults recognize what Social Security is, because they haven't worked enough, paid enough taking care of themselves or their families. They don't yet appreciate that they too, will be old someday, and that they may not be able to physically or mentally work.

Because they don't yet recognize what retirement is, what Social Security is (and let's face it, SS is not a magic bullet for retirement), they can't yet appreciate what it would mean to have a reduced, or even no SS benefit when they retire.

If I heard more of the millennial generation saying, "you know, I'm putting 10-15% of my paycheck into my retirement savings, and I'm contributing another 6.5% to SS...it'd sure be nice if I could see some of that when I'm ready to retire!" -- If I heard them saying that, then, I might feel sorry for them.

That’s what struck me, is some of them sound kind of crazy, with no spiritual grounding.
That said, I read the book “Your Money or Your Life” many years ago and it certainly inspired me to save for early retirement and get out of a job I hated.
These days there are all kinds of early retirement blogs, so that may be inspiring some of their decisions. And the increasing possibility to work remotely while living cheaply overseas.

>>We’re waiting for retirement at 67, and they keep bumping it up — who knows what age it will be for me — 70s? I thought it was foolish not to [leave]."

Stupid woman. There no longer is any "retirement" at any particular age except for government service, and that, too, is going away. Life now involves doing what you can, and want, for an indefinite period and then you stop, either because you have enough money, or you die. I have several fixed-benefit annuities. Most people don't. She is smart enough to know that an uncertain future create more choices.