May 24, 2012
Immortality hasn't been this hot since Ponce de Leon searched for the fountain of youth in 16th Century Florida.
The evidence: Captain Jack Sparrow (a.k.a. Johnny Depp) searched high and low for it in "Pirates of the Caribbean" Part IV last summer. Meanwhile, U.S. beaches were littered with the polka dot cover of "Super Sweet Sad Love Story" about a dystopian Manhattan, where longevity had to be earned. Mark Wexler's documentary, "How to Live Forever," was a bizarre-funny send up of baby boomers' search for their fountains of youth. And time – not money – was the currency in the Justin Timberlake vehicle, "In Time." Another Twilight vampire movie on the way…
This spring, Jane Fonda is promoting her new book, "Prime Time," about what she calls the "third act" of life as more Americans are increasingly healthy into their 70s, 80s, even 90s. Not to put a damper on things, but can we afford it if we're not Jane Fonda?
Noting the 30 year increase in U.S. longevity over the 20th century, she said it is ushering in a lifestyle "revolution." But an index produced by the Center for Retirement Research, which funds this blog, indicates that most of us cannot. This regularly updated retirement index shows that nearly half of U.S. households with boomers in their early 50s are "at risk" of not having enough money for retirement.
Are you ready for your glorious third act? Or will it be more like the explorer's quest? Pure myth.
