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This isn’t what my financial advisor told me and I doubt many others would, either. Social Security is almost certainly going to exist in some form. The questi

This isn’t what my financial advisor told me and I doubt many others would, either. Social Security is almost certainly going to exist in some form. The question is how much retirees will get from it and how that compares to the cost of living. Excessive cynicism is often dangerous because it converts the mundanely pleasant reality into an enthralling doom and gloom scenario. Of course, I’m not really saying that everyone in America is going to have a wonderful retirement. But if you’re like the other software engineers on this forum and you’re maxing out your 401k and have a mortgage, you’re almost certainly going to have a pretty enviable retirement.

secabeen 3mo ago
Indeed. The worst case scenario with no action is a ~30% cut in benefits; that's a long way from a 100% benefit cut.
bluefirebrand 3mo ago
> the mundanely pleasant reality There are a shocking number of people who do not experience anything resembling a mundanely pleasant reality Those of us who do are extremely fortunate
- Grombobulous 3mo ago
  I completely recognize that. However, a lot of the voices of discontent and cynicism are living very comfortable lives in America relative to others. Even having access to a flushing toilet and consistent electrical service are luxuries. The US social safety net is only embarrassing by the standards of 30 or so of the most wealthy nations. Medicaid, Medicare, and social security, even in a diminished state, are programs that a lot of people lack.
  - bluefirebrand 3mo ago
    > Even having access to a flushing toilet and consistent electrical service are luxuries Globally sure. But we don't measure ourselves by global standards. We measure ourselves by what we have around us, and the norms we were brought up with. No one in North America thinks indoor plumbing with flushing toilets is a luxury it's a basic necessity, and they're right to think so by the standards of their society. The US social safety net is embarrassing by the standards of what lives people in the US expect to have. Saying that their expectations are silly because people in rural Africa don't have indoor plumbing is kind of asinine. They are reasonably setting their expectations based on their neighbours experience not the most baseline human experience.
    - Grombobulous 3mo ago
      I think both of our perspectives are relevant in their own ways. The thing is, it isn’t even some stereotype of people in Africa in huts lacking indoor plumbing. A lot of the world lacks things like that. 20% of Russians lack indoor plumbing. France was recently in the news for lacking air conditioning in hospitals. Sometimes it’s good to have perspective on just how wealthy the top 30 wealthiest countries are. The fact that the US lacks some safety nets of the most wealthy ones… that’s bad but it’s still in that wealthy country tier, and it could be a lot worse. The US still does have universal healthcare for seniors and the poor, you have social security, quite high quality free services like parks, libraries, schools. The vast majority of Americans have reliable and affordable access to things like water, electricity, and Internet. All of that isn’t to say that it’s all problem-free.
      - Hundredth0006 3mo ago
        >20% of Russians lack indoor plumbing That's an incorrect translation, widly used by propaganda. In the original report it was not "indoor plumbing", but "connection to centralized city sewage system".
jauntywundrkind 3mo ago
OP here, thanks for the post. I agree I was definitely over glooming. It still makes me so scared to think of what will become of people at large, what this world will be if we do these ratchets we seem on a colission course for. But I tried to add an edit that hopefully provides a somewhat better balanced view. Thanks for the good post.

secabeen 3mo ago

Indeed. The worst case scenario with no action is a ~30% cut in benefits; that's a long way from a 100% benefit cut.

bluefirebrand 3mo ago

> the mundanely pleasant reality There are a shocking number of people who do not experience anything resembling a mundanely pleasant reality Those of us who do are extremely fortunate

Grombobulous 3mo ago
I completely recognize that. However, a lot of the voices of discontent and cynicism are living very comfortable lives in America relative to others. Even having access to a flushing toilet and consistent electrical service are luxuries. The US social safety net is only embarrassing by the standards of 30 or so of the most wealthy nations. Medicaid, Medicare, and social security, even in a diminished state, are programs that a lot of people lack.
- bluefirebrand 3mo ago
  > Even having access to a flushing toilet and consistent electrical service are luxuries Globally sure. But we don't measure ourselves by global standards. We measure ourselves by what we have around us, and the norms we were brought up with. No one in North America thinks indoor plumbing with flushing toilets is a luxury it's a basic necessity, and they're right to think so by the standards of their society. The US social safety net is embarrassing by the standards of what lives people in the US expect to have. Saying that their expectations are silly because people in rural Africa don't have indoor plumbing is kind of asinine. They are reasonably setting their expectations based on their neighbours experience not the most baseline human experience.
  - Grombobulous 3mo ago
    I think both of our perspectives are relevant in their own ways. The thing is, it isn’t even some stereotype of people in Africa in huts lacking indoor plumbing. A lot of the world lacks things like that. 20% of Russians lack indoor plumbing. France was recently in the news for lacking air conditioning in hospitals. Sometimes it’s good to have perspective on just how wealthy the top 30 wealthiest countries are. The fact that the US lacks some safety nets of the most wealthy ones… that’s bad but it’s still in that wealthy country tier, and it could be a lot worse. The US still does have universal healthcare for seniors and the poor, you have social security, quite high quality free services like parks, libraries, schools. The vast majority of Americans have reliable and affordable access to things like water, electricity, and Internet. All of that isn’t to say that it’s all problem-free.
    - Hundredth0006 3mo ago
      >20% of Russians lack indoor plumbing That's an incorrect translation, widly used by propaganda. In the original report it was not "indoor plumbing", but "connection to centralized city sewage system".

jauntywundrkind 3mo ago

OP here, thanks for the post. I agree I was definitely over glooming. It still makes me so scared to think of what will become of people at large, what this world will be if we do these ratchets we seem on a colission course for. But I tried to add an edit that hopefully provides a somewhat better balanced view. Thanks for the good post.