Well, we've been hearing for a few years that the Baby Boomers were going to change how we think of retirement. An article in the New York Times special Retirement Section (April 21, 2008), "Whatever You Do, Call It Work," by William L. Hamilton reports that there has surfaced a stigma to saying you are retired. The generation that has no concept of themselves as getting old (disclosure: I am one of those Boomers and also can't imagine being retired) is experiencing social awkwardness when asked "What do you do?" if they aren't working.
After conducting interviews for the article, Hamilton wrote,"...the social question 'What do you do?" is now as likely to be asked of those in their 60s as those in their 30s. And it you're retired, saying 'I'm retired' might not be an acceptable answer.
Some quotes from people interviewed:
* A retired high school teacher and department head who was referred to as "retired" in her daughter's wedding announcement was shocked at seeing it in print. "That was the one word that stung."
* "It's an identity thing. Even though I'm retired from all the primary things I was doing, one of the reasons I keep my hand in is my identity is tied up with what I did." (former learning disabilities specialist doing consulting and volunteering)
* The retired CEO of two major corporations says when asked, "I do a variety of things," including advising public and private boards and managing family investments. "Retirement is not viewed as an occupation."
* A partner who resigned from a law firm after a 33 year career at a firm is now working part-time as general counsel to a museum and as an adviser to his former firm. "My mother-in-law asked me 'Did I get fired?' when I left the firm. In a society with a premium on youth and energy, when people leave careers before 65, people wonder whether they were leaving voluntarily."
So to deal with the awkwardness they feel, people are saying they are self-employed or an independent contractor, a portfolio manager, a pro bono worker or an active volunteer - something.
While some people readily admit they are happy in traditional retirement, we are seeing expectations change about how long people will or should remain traditionally productive.
Phyllis Weiss Haserot www.pdcounsel.com