Pop Culture Mirroring Retirement. How TV culture reflected real world struggles American families were grappling with in their twilight years- an examination.
Everyone hopes to be able to retire and live a comfortable life. Unfortunately, some people will never live to see their dream come true. Whether you want to spend your retirement, traveling or spending time with grandchildren, you may find that it is impossible. What is the reason why retirement-age people are unable to quit working completely? Well, some experts believe that it has something to do with pop culture.
Financial Problems
So many people are struggling to make ends meet. With the loss of so many manufacturing jobs, workers are finding it more and more difficult to find full-time employment. So, what do they do? They have to work two or sometimes three part-time jobs. And, in many cases, these jobs are not enough to make up for what could have been earned at a single full-time job. Way too many people are having financial problems, making even harder now to retire than ever.
Housing Market Crash
Before 2005, the housing market was booming. Everyone with a stable income was going out to buy homes. While this was great for the economy and everything, it eventually led to the housing market crash. In 2005, more than 846,000 properties were in foreclosure. And, 2006 was not better. People were feeling hopeless. Unfortunately, many families found themselves homeless, living in their car or anywhere that would put a roof over their head.
Sophia: The Golden Girl
If you are familiar with the sitcom “The Golden Girls”, you should remember the quirky Sophia. As a retiree, Sophia decided to move into a retirement community. Unfortunately, that move did not last very long. The community caught on fire and burnt to the ground. So, Sophia was forced to move back into her daughter’s home.
The show always put a whacky but pleasant spin on retirement. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in the real world. In fact, some people do not take well to retirement. This is especially true for people with no families around to spend time with. And, do not forget the seniors who are adult children and grandchildren living with them.
Grandpa Simpson
Retirement communities are definitely popular. The entertainment and amenity options are endless. Retirees can enjoy the best of both worlds when they choose to live in these communities. They can spend their day play poker online at Sbobet88, golf, cricket or tennis. They can also go hang out at the clubhouse with other members and enjoy a game of bingo. The options are truly endless.
Watching the extremely popular sitcom “The Simpsons” became a trend for families throughout the United States. The show featured a dysfunctional, working-class family that consisted of a mom (Marge), dad (Homer), son (Bart) and daughter (Lisa).
And, then there is Grandpa Abe who resided in a retirement home. Unlike most retirement homes, the place where Grandpa resided was called a “castle”. Springfield Retirement Home was very similar to those in the real world. The struggles that the show retirees faced are very familiar to seniors today. Rising health care costs, loneliness and unreliable staff. All the things that people living in retirement communities today experience rolled into a single sitcom. Many older adults who watched the show enjoyed the episodes that featured The Springfield Retirement Home the best because it was a mirrored reflection of their own lives.
Thelma Harper: Mama’s Family
Thelma Harper, the boisterous but loving mother and grandmother, lived with her son and his wife and grandson. The Harper family was very dysfunctional. Fortunately, the matriarch of the family, Thelma was always there whenever her family and friends needed her. The struggles the family faced were very familiar to most of the viewers. While most families do not have a member that could compare to Thelma, viewers could sympathize.
Thelma cared for her grandson Bubba Higgins who was nothing short of a delinquent teenager. After Bubba was let go from a local juvenile detention center, he was forced to move in with Thelma. Many people could say that Thelma was not the best role model for the boy but her home was warm, inviting and a mess.
It is true that many people try to mimic pop culture stars. While not all bad, the working-age appears to be getting older by the day.
