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I think that the word "retired" is losing its meaning. If you're your own boss and you spend most of your time working on interesting things, you can't call you
by cool-RR 16y ago
I think that the word "retired" is losing its meaning. If you're your own boss and you spend most of your time working on interesting things, you can't call yourself "retired", even if you don't make money or have an official job.
What I'm saying is that "retired" should mean "stopped doing interesting things" and not "stopped receiving a salary". By that definition, Derek is not retired.
- RyanMcGreal 16y agoI think it means Derek no longer has to worry about earning money - he can afford to do what he wants with this time. Sounds like retirement to me!
- cool-RR 16y agoI agree that Derek is in this position where he doesn't have to worry about money. This is the common definition of "retired". What I'm saying is that I find this definition bad. Derek himself said "I used to think “retired” just meant “only plays golf”, but now I see it means doing anything interesting and/or useful to others, but not having to worry whether it makes money or not." There's a reason he used to think that "retired" meant "only plays golf". The true, deeper meaning of "retired" is "someone who doesn't matter anymore". The fact that we say "retired" on someone who doesn't get a paycheck anymore is because in recent history, people made important things only in their official job. Since this fact is changing now, and people make important things outside their jobs, the meaning of "retired" should stay closer to its original, deep meaning: Someone who doesn't do important things anymore. And, as I said, according to this definition Derek is not retired.
- Psyonic 16y agoI don't think that "no longer has to worry about money" is the common definition at all. If it was, every CEO of a mid-level or higher company would probably qualify. Perhaps something more along the lines of, "doesn't need money, and wants to settle down and move to Florida" ;)