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We're On the Cusp of a New Age of Volunteerism
June 20, 2004, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
By
MARK TRAHANT
A
friend of mine turned 50 recently. There were the usual congratulations
tossed her way, followed by friendly advice about the meaning of
the big five-oh.
But I heard something else: the chorus of "happy birthday"
is growing incredibly loud.
We are at the beginning chord of a generational shift. I know a
lot of folks turning 50 this year -- and I should -- because some
10,000 people a day are facing a cake bearing all of those candles.
(As a point of comparison, only about 6,000 people turn 65 every
day.)
The numbers are interesting now, but they also will determine so
much about our future.
"Approximately
77 million babies were born in the United States during the boom
years of 1946 to 1964. In 2011, the oldest will turn 65, and, on
average, can expect to live to 83. Many will continue well into
their 90s," says a new report, "Reinventing Aging: Baby
Boomers and Civic Engagement," from the Harvard School of Public
Health -- MetLife Foundation Initiative on Retirement and Civic
Engagement.
"The
baby boomers soon will have the opportunity to redefine the meaning
and purpose of the older years," the report says. "As
some of the demands of work and family that have commanded their
attention in midlife recede, boomers will have the potential to
become a social resource of unprecedented proportions by actively
participating in the life of their communities."
The report suggests it's time to change our language. Words that
we've clung to for so long -- retirement, senior, elder -- may not
mean the same thing for my generation.
Already the era of early retirement is decreasing because so many
more people are putting off retirement for reasons ranging from
finances to fear of boredom.
The Harvard study says we need to find a new narrative to help people
understand this demographic shift.
"New
language, imagery, and stories are needed to help boomers and the
general public re-envision the role and value of elders and the
meaning and purpose of one's later years," the Harvard study
says. "The entertainment industry, given its role in storytelling
across the social spectrum, may be the most promising vehicle for
conveying alternative images of aging and portraying individuals
of all ages participating in community life."
The entertainment media -- and for that matter, the news media --
need to kick-start a conversation about "what's next"
for 77 million people.
There's a "what's next" that I find exciting. We could
be at the cusp of a new age of volunteerism, a new era when our
culture encourages and celebrates folks giving freely of their time
to causes of all kinds.
The spirit of the volunteer is already part of the fabric of the
World War II generation, the so-called greatest generation. But
the sheer size of a Baby Boom Volunteer force leaves open the possibility
of something even greater.
The Harvard study says most people volunteer in midlife, not in
retirement years, so perceptions will have to be changed if we want
a better what's next. Already, one-third of boomers say they expect
to volunteer after retirement, but "there is a difference between
intentions and actions, and boomers may need a push."
We only have a few years before the country will need to mobilize
the Baby Boom Volunteers -- so we ought to gear up now. "A
national campaign -- on a scale not previously attempted -- might
very well succeed in mobilizing boomers to act on their stated intentions,"
the Harvard study suggests.
"Towns
and cities should consider organizing large-scale, volunteer-based
efforts that reach out to various sectors of their community in
an inclusive way to identify and respond to the community's most
pressing problems," the Harvard study says. "The success
of such efforts -- involving individuals of all ages -- is likely
to depend on a leadership cadre of volunteers who are prepared to
make it their principal activity."
I have a couple of years to go before I turn 50. But I already see
in my friends how the big five-oh is a natural place to stop and
think about the future. We search our soul and explore what could
be. The trick is to amplify those thoughts from 10,000 souls each
day into a national dialogue.
Mark
Trahant is editor of the Post-Intelligencer's Editorial Page and
a member of the Editorial Board. E-mail: marktrahant@seattlepi.com
©
1998-2004 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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