tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post6332326709844727312..comments2024-03-27T08:39:28.807-06:00Comments on Wash Park Prophet: Are Elders Too Powerful In America?Andrew Oh-Willekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02537151821869153861noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post-39117052257483082802008-07-18T14:29:00.000-06:002008-07-18T14:29:00.000-06:00Thorough the late 19th century, the average person...Thorough the late 19th century, the average person died in their 40s. When Social Security was enacted in the 1930s, the average life expectency was 65. Life expectency in most of the world has extended later than it has in the United States. <BR/><BR/>Anthropology isn't much of a guide to the role a demographic that hasn't existed for most of human history, and has been present in meaningful numbers in most of the world for less than a century.Andrew Oh-Willekehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02537151821869153861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post-89928634433679471332008-07-18T10:50:00.000-06:002008-07-18T10:50:00.000-06:00Anthropologically speaking, elders are supposed to...Anthropologically speaking, elders are supposed to be leaders -- they certainly have no direct purpose in reproduction.<BR/><BR/>Missing from your list of reasons was the boomers protecting their own future interests (Social Security and Medicare). That the previous generation (who are now the current leaders) are also benefitting is collateral damage from the boomers.<BR/><BR/><BR/>With the rapid pace of technology, now is perhaps the worst time in history, though, to have elders at the wheel.Michael Malakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10007582156392845677noreply@blogger.com