Introduction
In the article “Blue-Collar Boomers Take Work Ethic to College”, Sander Libby talks about how people that are older that were born in the 1940’s, would not retire until an old age. In addition, she estimates that in 2014, 41 percent of adults aged 55 or older will still be working. This does not necessarily imply that the government would raise the retirement age to above 55 years, but because retiring employee would choose to remain in employment to continue being self-reliant as well as socially and economically active. Thus, people are not able to retire until the age of 60 or older. Just because people cannot do much or work as fast during their old age, does not mean they cannot work at all. People still work hard, even at their old age, at their jobs they have now. The difference might only come with the type of jobs that they do. “Blue-Collar Boomers Take Work Ethic to College” uses a lot of resources to prove how older people should or should not retire. Libby Sander selected all the pros and cons. Sander indicates the medically healthy arguments associated with remaining in employment and the hazards of returning to sit in the homes after retirement. They pointed out the pro of the elderly not being bored and sitting around doing nothing around their house. They stated how some people start their own business. In addition, they brought out the cons by having the elderly people sit around at their house doing absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, why did they just have them sit at home? Why not have them start a hobby like wood creativity or remodeling a part of the house. Just because you have retired does not mean you have to stop working. A wide range of accommodations options, both public and private. In the private sector, homes can be run as private businesses or as non-profit-making associations. The state social services body for the department approves the majority. In the public sector, homes can become under the authority of either the health sector or a kind of commune. They include community apartment buildings and rural homes for the elderly. At these apartments and rural homes, they supply jobs for the elderly people.
Sander appeals to ethos by writing as a member of the society who has witnessed several old people retire and return home and others seeks education to remain relevant to the employment field as well as acquire less demanding jobs. He also gives an example of community colleges that have their systems to accommodate the learning needs of the adult students as well as changing the definition of a traditional student to accommodate the adults. This traditional notion is also challenged in Heller and d’Ambrosio’s book (pp. 356-64), who argue that the assumptions and practices of educational institutions should be changed. Sander explains that a traditional student is that student who has just completed high school and able to take at least four or more years in college pursuing their bachelor’s degree. However, in her new definition of a student, Sander explains that the retired people would not have the time to stay for four years in an educational program. Therefore, since private colleges are usually first to adjust to the changes in the needs of students, probably because they need the numbers to get more money, they would eventually be willing to provide flexible programs to the elderly learners. However, this would also serve to benefit the traditional student because if they decide to pursue these shorter courses, the transition of learners to employees would eventually increase within a short time. On social and technological advancements, Sander explains that during the time when he attended high school and college, things were manually operated, and schools implemented face-to-face traditional learning programs. However, as people retire and possibly return to learning institutions to acquire knowledge to remain relevant to the current educational and employment needs as well as get sit-down jobs, the technological and social advancements pose a challenge to these older students. According to Mr. Hill, a retired construction worker, who now works as a surgical technologist, "Kids are saying, 'Just download it here and put it on your MP3 player to your iPod to your flash drive.' . Nevertheless, despite these challenges, he also advises the audience that the most important tool still works. The human brain is always ready to take in new instruction, and learn to embrace the acquired knowledge as well as use it for development.
He also appeals to pathos by explaining that the elderly people retiring from work should not sit around the house and do nothing since they can still work. He even explains that the traditional notion that the retired people have stopped contributing the national development is wrong and outdated (pp. 233-240). He advises that people seeking education to remain in employment even after retirements should replace this traditional notion. According to Mr. David Cox, who intends to work until his sixties as an electrician in Soap Lake Wash, he refuses to sit around the house and do nothing. He has enrolled in the industrial electrical-technology program at Big Bend Community College, in nearby Moses Lake. The costs of sitting down at homes against continuing to work are very high. When retiring employees return home and opt out of employment, it implies that they intend either to depend on the working population or on their pension services, which might not satisfy their financial requirements. Additionally, sitting back at home is associated with health risks to the elderly such as obesity, and other related diseases (p. 40). This way the elderly can make their keep and be able to help others and help their selves. Some of the elderly people that work are still to pay for college. “They do not have the luxury or the interest in going back to college for two, three, or four years,” says Mr. Ronan. “They need something they can get quick. So what that says to institutions like mine is that the traditional 16-week semester needs to be modified significantly so that individuals can come in and maximize learning in blocks that are more intense and more tailored.” Community colleges are good at being responsive (para. 28). They make everyone equal, young or old. Older people do not like sitting around doing nothing. They will find something to do whether it is knitting, crochet, or trying to get an ‘at home job’.
In his appeals to logos, Sander uses examples of Mr. Kearney and Mr. Cox, who have both reached the retirement ages but have refused to accept that they are unable to work. They have proved that the hard tasking jobs that they have been doing in their life have become difficult, but they can still remain relevant through acquiring better education to get easier jobs such as in hospitals. In these examples, Sander seeks to explain to the audience that if you have retired from your job, you can still find something important to do, even in the home. It is believed that elderly people should have options on things when they retire. They would get agitated just sitting there at their home doing absolutely nothing of interest. “I’m getting old for this kind of stuff,” says Mr. Cox. Mr. Cox had a back injury, which killed him of his work. “I refuse to sit around the house and do nothing because I can’t work.” He is now 54 years old, enrolled in college, and started his own business. Just because he is older, doesn’t mean you need to stop working.” Sixty six percent said they planned to keep working in some form or fashion during their retirement years. Of that 66 percent, 15 percent said they would never retire. Many people get upset when they retire. They are leaving their job and their coworkers, which mean they would lose the interaction and most contact with their friends. In the same regard, while reviewing data from 240 employees and their anxiety towards retirement, Lin identified that the current structure and quality of work of an individual would be positively associated with the retirement anxiety, which further translates to the intended retirement age as well as willingness to accept bridge employment (p. 74). Lin refers to bridge employment to refer to the employments that retired people might seek after retirement in order to remain relevant and active in the society. However, there are many benefits for retiring. You may do things that you have not yet accomplished or even had the time for them. This can help their health by them staying active and getting around.
Conclusion
Works Cited:
Kee-Lee, Chou, and Nelson W. S. Chow. "To Retire Or Not To Retire: Is There An Option For Older Workers In Hong Kong?" Social Policy & Administration 39.3 (2005): 233-246. Business Source Complete. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.
Lim, Vivien K.G., and Daniel Feldman. "The Impact Of Time Structure And Time Usage On Willingness To Retire And Accept Bridge Employment." International Journal Of Human Resource Management 14.7 (2003): 1178-1191. Business Source Complete. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.
Heller, Donald and d'Ambrosio, Madeleine. Generational Shockwaves and the Implications for Higher Education. Kimberley: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2008 Print
Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walter. Everything’s an Argument with Readings. 6th ed. Boston: Bedford, 2013. Print
