Live and learn |活到老學到老
In 2013 aarp released the report of The Longevity Economy
The report studied the possible directions and changes in the large-scale structural changes of the user group in the United States, and mentioned that The Longevity Economy is a concept worth understanding.
There is a paragraph in it that describes the rapid increase in the current user group’s expenditure on education. Learning more skills and knowledge or spiritual/economic empowerment is the direction that the user group is paying attention to.
Pages 9 and 10 of the report mention respectively
“Preferences in the longevity economy are shifting in other ways (see chart). This is bringing into its orbit industries that have traditionally not considered the over-50s as major contributors to their revenue streams and spending by these people in real terms.” Spending by people over 50 on food and clothing fell by 11% and 35% respectively compared with 1990. In 2010, their spending on non-essential items such as entertainment and education increased by 23% and 90% respectively. In 1990, People over 50 spend an average of $2,200 on clothes and $7,000 on food; by 2010, these figures had dropped to $1,460, or $6,280 respectively. 13 Another difference is that in the longevity economy, people prefer to “age in home”. Nearly 90% of seniors say they want to live in their own homes as they age; even if they need daily help or maintenance of health, 82% would still prefer to stay at home, according to AARP.”
“Technology also plays an important role in the longevity economy. Today’s 50+ are the first generation of the Internet who grew up with consumer electronics, computers and electronic devices. Therefore, they are more tech-savvy than their predecessors. Pew.net A March 2000 survey by the Road and American Life Project found that only 36% of respondents aged 50–65 and 12% of those aged 65 and older had ever used the Internet; by August 2012, these numbers had rose to 85% and 58% respectively. People over 50 years old also use social networks heavily, with more than 71% of people of different age groups 50% and 65% and 59% of people over 65 years old visiting social networks every day group sites, in part because of their involvement in social causes and initiatives.”
Although the data is from 2013, observation 10 years later seems to have expanded in this direction, especially after the epidemic, the demand for health and social connection is rapidly increasing. Additional updates and global data can be seen here.
French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir said: “How a society treats its elderly reveals its principles and purposes.”
Our society allows working people to get by but refuses to allow them to justify their existence. A life like a desert prevents them from investing in the visions that would have given them purpose, value, and reason for their existence in their old age — allowing them to live like human beings. When they feel despair about their current meaningless life, it is because the meaning of their lives has always been stolen. This tragic end of life meant that everything had to start over: this crippling social system had to undergo radical changes.
The desire of the elderly to learn and turn themselves into energy that is helpful to society is a positive development. We can all start to think about what kind of changes are needed in society to embrace the changes in social structure — The elderly are no longer regarded as social Burden is another stage of life, like graduating from high school and leaving your hometown to go to college. It is full of excitement, nervousness, anxiety and anticipation.
2013 aarp 發布了 The Longevity Economy這份報告
報告研究了美國的用戶群體大的結構改變的可能方向與變化，其中提到The Longevity Economy(長壽經濟)是值得了解的觀念。
裡面有一個段落描述了目前用戶群在教育上的支出快速提升，學習更多技能與知識或說精神/經濟上的賦能是用戶群關注的方向。
報告中的第九與第十頁分別提到
“長壽經濟的偏好正以其他方式轉變（見圖）。這是將傳統上不考慮 50 歲以上人群的行業納入其軌道成為其收入來源的主要貢獻者。以實際價值計算，這些人的支出。50歲以上的人在食品和衣服方面的支出比1990年分別下降了11%和35%，2010年，他們在娛樂和教育等非必需品方面的支出分別成長了23%和90%。 1990 年，50 歲以上的人平均花費 2,200 美元衣服和 7,000 美元的食物；到 2010 年，這些數字已降至 1,460 美元，分別為 6,280 美元。13 另一個區別是，在長壽經濟中，人們喜歡「原地老去」。近 90% 的老年人表示他們想住在自己的家裡隨著年齡的增長；即使他們需要日常幫助或維續健康，根據 AARP 的數據，82% 的人仍然更願意待在家裡”
”科技在長壽經濟中也扮演著重要角色。現在的50歲以上是伴隨著消費性電子產品、電腦和電子設備長大的第一代網際網路.因此，他們比前輩更精通科技。 Pew網路和美國生活計畫 2000 年 3 月的調查發現，只有36%的50–65歲受訪者和12%的65歲以上受訪者曾使用過網路；到 2012 年 8 月，這些數字已分別上升至 85% 和 58%。 50 歲以上的人也大量使用社交網絡，其中超過 71% 的人是不同年齡層的人50% 和 65% 以及 65 歲以上的人中 59% 每天都會造訪社群網站，部分原因是他們參與社會事業和倡議。”
雖然這份資料是2013年的，10年後再來觀察似乎更加擴大往這個方向，特別疫情後對健康與社會連結的需求正快速提升中。另外一些更新與全球的數據可以在這裡看到。
法國哲學家西蒙波娃說：「一個社會怎麼對待老人，揭示出這個社會的原則和目的。」
我們的社會讓勞動者可以過日子，卻拒絕讓他們證明自己的存在具有意義。像荒漠一樣的人生，讓他們老後無法投入願景之中，而這些願景原可使他們老後的世界仍具有目的、價值與存在的理由 — — 讓他們活得像個人。當他們為當前無意義的人生而感到絕望，那是因為他們人生的意義向來都被人竊走。這種悲慘的生命終局，意味著一切得重頭開始：這個殘傷人的社會系統必須進行徹底的改變。
高齡者渴望學習，並將自身化做對社會有助益的能量是一種正面發展，我們都可以開始思考，社會需要什麼樣的改變來擁抱社會結構變遷 — 高齡者不再被視為社會的負擔，而是人生的另一個階段，像是中學畢業離開家鄉上大學一樣，是充滿的興奮、緊張、不安與期待的。
