Disappointed and depressed about life in capitalist America, these
middle aged individuals were most probably ruined by the Great
Recession. And they did not fall for the cultural myths of the " new
old age "- right around the corner for them. Just what optimistic drivel
this is was explained in scholarly detail by a book titled " Never Say
Die " by Susan Jacoby.
The idea that " people are living longer " and therefore social security should be delayed to age 70 is class biased nonsense , the author explains in the very first chapter titled " Never Say Old ".
So contemptuous is competitive American society of middle aged " losers " that they experience a soul sickness which no drug can cure. There are still many varieties of Arthur Miller's Willy Loman out there.
" Attention must be paid to this man ", cries Willy's wife. But today's liberated woman has left or divorced her " Willy " long before his fall from grace in our blessed American Way of Life.
And psychiatrists too are no longer listening to those oh-so-numerous troubled souls.Perhaps these depressed persons recall a little of Camus from their school days : " The only important philosophical question is suicide ".
How can they watch the TV news and not conclude : Life is meaningless. Forget the Prozac !
I myself am still a socialist optimist. Smiling over the Bernie Sanders phenomenon." Never say die ! "
The idea that " people are living longer " and therefore social security should be delayed to age 70 is class biased nonsense , the author explains in the very first chapter titled " Never Say Old ".
So contemptuous is competitive American society of middle aged " losers " that they experience a soul sickness which no drug can cure. There are still many varieties of Arthur Miller's Willy Loman out there.
" Attention must be paid to this man ", cries Willy's wife. But today's liberated woman has left or divorced her " Willy " long before his fall from grace in our blessed American Way of Life.
And psychiatrists too are no longer listening to those oh-so-numerous troubled souls.Perhaps these depressed persons recall a little of Camus from their school days : " The only important philosophical question is suicide ".
How can they watch the TV news and not conclude : Life is meaningless. Forget the Prozac !
I myself am still a socialist optimist. Smiling over the Bernie Sanders phenomenon." Never say die ! "
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Ron