19 Comments

I turn 30 in two days so this is most welcome news 😅

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You’re only just beginning!

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Feb 26Liked by Henry Oliver

Yes Henry, I agree. We live in times in which, thanks to medicine and better food, people live much longer. My grandfather passed away when he was 73 years old and that was 54 years ago. I am 76 and at the moment have no intention to depart. Actually this part of life is very interesting, I have the intelectual tools to interpret things and events like never before. With one condition : never stop learning.

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Yes never stop learning is the key, agree l

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Feb 26Liked by Henry Oliver

Your lips to God’s ears. I love 50 over 50. And 60 over 60. Honestly, they’re just a heck of a lot more interesting.

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"It’s hard to see people’s potential as they age." Wouldn't it be easier? : )

Thank you for this article. The whole Biden/age thing is disgraceful. It's age discrimination. Both sides are doing it, but why? I can't figure it out. And I figure everything out : )

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Unexpressed potential sorry

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Feb 26Liked by Henry Oliver

but NFL head coach and POTUS are different from being self employed. that is maybe what is most interesting about this column, Henry. Paragraph 3. That older American workers are more likely to be self employed. This speaks to specialization or competence or wisdom in an evolving economy.

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Yes definitely—shows an alternative to corporate ageism!

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Feb 26Liked by Henry Oliver

this made me think of Andy Reid (coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and recent super bowl winner). in the lead up to the big game seemingly everyone was speculating about his retirement. he spoke to this in interviews and said that he felt great. he wasn't sure why people were even talking about it. he's in his 60s, I think. so not quite on the level of Biden. but it is a demanding job and he is making his case for one of the best ever.

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That’s great

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Feb 26Liked by Henry Oliver

I'm two years off fifty so I hope this is true but the cult of youth remains strong!

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Fifty is the new thirty!

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His incompetence looks like the reason why Joe Biden became the president at his late age. He became more easily manipulated. A lot of his recent policies and speeches are totally contradictory to his previous ones when he was young, articulate.

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Saying if a person is competent for his job is totally a subjective judgment. The fact that more older people continue to work may have other underlying causes than you described. For example, social connections, power, influence are more important in nowadays business and politics than personal qualities. For example, more and more research start-ups hire retired government officials to lobby for fundings, hire retired army officials to help get defense contracts. People like Tony Blairs are on numerous business boards.

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You lost me by claiming that Joe Biden is a competent president. His inability to stand trial was the primary reason stated by the special prosecutor for not charging him with illegal possession of classified material. I.e., it’s not my personal opinion.

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He’s been President for several years and was quite competent, hence “politics aside” re: the issue as it stands today.

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It's the age thing I object to. Saying Joe is too old is like saying Nancy Pelosi is too female. Or Marco Rubio is too Cuban. I don't get it. Why is everyone nodding and saying yeah, he is pretty old?

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Henry just to be clear your article is admirably free of this kind of prejudice. Conspicuously so. Bravo!

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