corrupt retirement

Retirement is the opposite of independence. You don't enjoy your job too much? Since jobs occupy most waking hours of our day, it's relatively safe to say that people who look forward to retirement don't just despise their jobs. They hate their lives. And if you hate your life, it is no surprise that you are dreaming of and planning for your retirement to gain independence.

Independence, however, is NOT the engine driving you towards that goal, unfortunately. Your hatred is. Loathing what you do currently gives you the idea of retirement. Not only that, add a decent portion of self-loathing. Why? You may despise your job, but you hate yourself much more for being so corrupt that you can't let go of your job, because you'd lose all the benefits you have accumulated with your impressive seniority. You gave permission to be bought into corruption and out of the independence you once possessed. True independence lies in your past and naturally: you want it back. Now you're thinking about the conditions you may be able to purchase independence with, called retirement plan.

Retirement maybe a situation you desire to achieve, but it's burdened with too many ifs and whens that you can hardly call it independence. Most people's retirement doesn't look like their golden age at all, and why would it? If you insist on calling it freedom, that freedom is flawed and fraught with more conditions and limitations than you would like to experience. Retirement as an equivalent of independence is a fraud. No wonder you hate corrupt people so much. You are one of them--if questionable benefits entice you to aim for retirement instead of establishing and living your independence today and tomorrow.

No, don't quit your job! Keep it. You deserve each other and the inner turmoil that comes with it. But if it's independence you want, you better quit waiting for retirement:

Do What You Want ... and more of it, EVERY DAMNED DAY. If you “can't”, shut up and grind your teeth some more. Perhaps retirement will save you from yourself.

Egbert