Seems to be all doom and gloom.

The Meeting Place > Let's Talk Retirement > Seems to be all doom and gloom.

4 yrs ago

I have recently become a member of YourLifeChoices and, at first, I found some of the articles interesting. After a few weeks of reading the member comments, however, I am becoming depressed! Why is nearly everyone so grumpy and whingey? Ok, not everyone, but there seems to be a common thread of pessimism which really puts me off. Are we really going to fit the stereotypical grumpy old man/woman in our retirement or can we snap out of it, please? Talk about people taking offence at the slightest little comment.... some of you guys have it down pat. Come on, people...if you could only take a step back and look at how some of you wind each other up you would have a giggle too. I am not going to retire now and become like that. I will just keep working where I am among people of all ages and, consequently, my views on life remain balanced.

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20 comments

Yup a grumpier lot is really hard to find. I'm not grumpy though because we have a good PM at the moment and Im glad the other guy did not get a look in, what was his name? I forgot.

Cheer yourself up, have a read of my laugh thread.

https://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/the_meeting_place/post/a-laugh-a-day-keeps-the-undertaker-away

PlanB

4 yrs ago

I guess when you have lived a long life it is hard to come to terms with the horror that happens in this day and age -- when you grew up with kindness and care -- maybe not a lot of money but everyone one was there for each other --- now some people seem to get pleasure from being nasty

Farside

4 yrs ago

schadenfreude has become a popular characteristic among the boomer and war generations if many of the posts to these forums are an indication

PlanB, I agree. Australia is no longer the lucky country it used to be. Someone is murdered every day now which used to be unheard of. We are bombarded with negative news full of gloom and doom incessantly. I think this would be affecting everyone young and old.

Farside, that's true. There are some evil posters around.

PlanB

4 yrs ago

Yes, I remember when the little boy was kidnaped and murdered when his Dad won the $100.000 lottery--

Graeme Thorne. In 1960, and that was a shock to the whole country -- we never used to hear of such things in this country -- now it is a daily occurrence!

ronloby

4 yrs ago

You know why some older people are grumpy? It is because most are ignored by the younger generation and in particular the POLLIES of all sides.

johnp

4 yrs ago

agree 100% roniobye

Farside

4 yrs ago

chicken and egg ronloby. Grumpy old people are invisible to the post boomer generations. Perhaps if they were less grumpy, judgemental and whining the younger generations might not ignore them.

Sophie

4 yrs ago

One of the reasons some people are grumpy is because they have not learnt how to be grateful for what they have.

Image result for gratitude

Have a good day!

Sophie, that's true.

CountryCatkin

4 yrs ago

After reading Holly’s letter I can certainly agree that there are many grumpy, miserable people out there. They will always have something to grizzle about if they can find it. Reading past editions of Your life choices certainly shows up the whingers and whiners.

But, I also know folk who would have many grounds to complain about their lives - but they don’t. They face each day with renewed hope and a positive attitude.

One commentator wrote that there is a murder every day. It was also probably true in past days when the news was not so quickly and easily disseminated to the world. Unfortunately, there will always be nasty people who enjoy either instigating or watching the trials and tribulations of others.

However, in the great scheme of things we are still living in the lucky country. Look at places like Syria or some of the countries where no one dares breathe even a justified word of criticism about anything for fear of being imprisoned or even killed.

I am just over 70 with few relations still alive, but I have young friends of varying ages as well as a number of friends in their 90s. Keeping up with various interests and taking an interest in the world at large, keeps one in touch with the pulse of humanity.

We don’t have to agree with everything, but we can be kind and tolerant and always work on doing a good deed every day somewhere for someone. Whingers - change your attitude and you might be pleasantly surprised by the response.

Holly

4 yrs ago

Great comments, thank you everyone. ABE... Couldn't agree more with your views and I loved the laugh thread! We need more laughs.

Plan B and Sophie...I agree with your comments.

ronloby, I get what you're saying. I personally have not experienced being ignored by the younger generation. I am a part time nurse educator and find most of my young students are great people. Sure, some are perhaps not as hard working as our generation seemed to be but not much we can do about it. I honestly can remember some student nurses when I trained in 1979 who were very lazy indeed. I suspect not much has changed, really. We are just looking at it from an older person's point of view, aren't we?

As for pollies...apart from educating ourselves as much as possible and voting accordingly there's little we can do apart from persistently and politely repeating our requests to our local member. I have done so with some success in the past merely by sheer persistance....dripping tap, anyone?

Having nursed in third world countries and seen life where survival is such a struggle I have chosen to be happy with what I have. All I can do is take responsibility for my own actions, cross my fingers and try to find something to smile about each day.

Thank you again. It's great to know there are some cheerful people out there!

pedro the swift

4 yrs ago

Its like a kid s first time in a lolly shop. Eyes wide open at the wonderous lollies and sweets, thinking what a wonderful place to spend a lifetime. But the guy(gal) who works there has seen it all and says "meh".

Every time I hear Louie Armstrong version of "What a Wonderful World" I think that he is either being delusional or deliberately ignoring reality

the_Albert

4 yrs ago

We've been cheerful and friendly all our lives and look what it got us! Anyway, it's fun being grumpy. Then we have to deal with cantankerous provocateurs like ABE revelling in the recent election result. With the Coalition in power for another three years, surely we're entitled to be miserable.

Hahaha, think I like you!

Well Holly, it's not all doom and gloom although lately that trend has appeared. Before May 18 the forum was full of buoyant people all crowing about how the election was going to turn out and attacking anyone who disagreed. What we are seeing now is those people who won't accept the decision of the majority of Australians and are being very negative, telling untruths and trying to justify why they were right. You can spot them by their abusive, personal remarks on the ones who dare to point out that Labor lost the election.

Welcome to this forum and my suggestion is that the longer you stay, the quicker you will be able to identify those whose whole life seems to revolve around being negative. If you hang around negative people for too long, you will become negative so when you identify them you will know to ignore their posts. I would hope that I won't be on your naughty list.

4 yrs ago

Old Man I agree with you. I have found that there are lot of people being nasty. People are entitled to express an opinion over matters without getting hot under the collar.

4 yrs ago

Old Man I agree with you. I have found that there are lot of people being nasty. People are entitled to express an opinion over matters without getting hot under the collar.

Old Man, I am so out of Lib/Lab land. The Animal Justice Party is more deserving of my vote.

Julian

4 yrs ago

Old man you've nailed it!

The behaviour borders on bullying of those who disagree with the lefty ideology. You will quickly learn who they are as they have a common crow, and a particular attitude to anyone who dare challenge their thought process, or even offer debate.

Yes Julian, to some "debate' is what you put on the end of "dehook".

Julian

4 yrs ago

..and it has the same effect.

Image result for labrador and cup of coffee

and my wife of course

Reagan, that is so sweet.

Aw shucks jackie :)

almost midnight

4 yrs ago

hi Holly, yes I agree with you - sometimes depressing the number of 'grumpy old people" - and I work with a lot of young people -yes, there are some problem people in there - which generation didn't have them - but there are some amazing young caring people with a positive joyous attitude to life - and they do work hard - no scholarships to university these days, (they come out with big debts). I have great respect for many of the younger generation. Just remember that many of the 'problem' children were brought up by our generation!

almost midnight

4 yrs ago

Holly

4 yrs ago

How very true!

HOLA

4 yrs ago

I was sitting in a Coffee shop this morning reading my paper, when two young women came in and sat next to my table. They were showing each other pictures on their phones and having a good laugh. One of their phones rang and the one next to me said, "Oh no it's my Mother, she rings me every day", in that University posh accent a lot of them attain. She sat pulling faces at the phone and I almost said, "You should be so glad to have a Mother who is interested in what you are doing"., but I'm sure I would have got a mouthfull from her. My eldest son said to me on his return to Melbourne last week, "Mum, can you send me a message every day to say hello, then I will know you are okay"..I know he is a little worried as he sees me getting older and a lot of my friends have moved away or passed away. What a lovely thing to say.?

PlanB

4 yrs ago

HOLA that nice, my Son also rings me every day for the same reason bless him

Holly

4 yrs ago

Old Man, thanks for the welcome. Agree 100% with your commments. I intend to ignore the posts I find negative.

Love the labrador cup, Reagan.

Just for the record... I am not Pollyanna and I am frightened of very old age and what could happen just like most people. But it might not happen, eh!

One reason I am still working a few days a fortnight is that I really feel I can make a difference with the nurses of tomorrow. Maybe I am kidding myself that I make a difference, but I do stress that they must treat all patients as they would like to be treated and respect is a word I use every session. When I see a young student display less than excellent care I ask, would they like to see their child/mother/grandad treated this way? They do stop and think. (I think.)

Promise not to mention my job again...was just trying to make a point.

Sooty from Marketing

4 yrs ago

Not grumpy just mad as hell, I played by the rules then the LNP and Greens lied and stole my part pension with the changes to the 2017 Pensioner Assets Test. Well I’m not going to take it anymore. Don’t tell me I’m a leaner. Don’t tell me the Old Age Pension is welfare. And do tell me how to spend my money.

Suze

4 yrs ago

It is a shame that both major parties are left ..want to take money off seniors to support the rest of the population.

LOL Holly,

You are far too late. The modern-day seagull* so adored by the chattering classes to admonish adults and set them right is the mouthy adolescent schoolgirl, preferably from Sweden.

Seems to be all doom and gloom.

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