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Many older Americans are living a desperate, nomadic life
Marketwatch.com ^ | March 10. 2018 | Richard Eisenberg

Posted on 03/10/2018 7:11:58 PM PST by ilovesarah2012

In her powerful new book, “Nomadland,” award-winning journalist Jessica Bruder reveals the dark, depressing and sometimes physically painful life of a tribe of men and women in their 50s and 60s who are — as the subtitle says — “surviving America in the twenty-first century.” Not quite homeless, they are “houseless,” living in secondhand RVs, trailers and vans and driving from one location to another to pick up seasonal low-wage jobs, if they can get them, with little or no benefits.

(Excerpt) Read more at tiny.iavian.net ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: elderly
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Interesting article especially about how Amazon exploits workers.
1 posted on 03/10/2018 7:11:58 PM PST by ilovesarah2012
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To: ilovesarah2012

Mr. Mercat and I have met some of them. They have free medical care, practically free room and board and seem generally content.


2 posted on 03/10/2018 7:15:36 PM PST by Mercat
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To: ilovesarah2012

Another story about people making poor life choices.


3 posted on 03/10/2018 7:16:08 PM PST by caver
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To: ilovesarah2012

Seems like I saw this same article some time ago. Same desperate headline. Some of those people have spent their whole lives basically on the road, following The Dead or some other motley crew.


4 posted on 03/10/2018 7:18:40 PM PST by ichabod1 (I'm tired of living in the kinder gentler soviet union.)
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To: caver

This book, probably doesn’t tell us much more than we would expect, has gotten a lot of press. Not only a splash when first published, but the libs revive it from time to time. I don’t think this is the first time it has been featured here on FR, either.


5 posted on 03/10/2018 7:18:43 PM PST by oldplayer
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To: ilovesarah2012
Right after the interview discusses robots, there is this bit:

What needs to change to prevent people from having to become Nomads or to help them live better if they are?

For one thing, Amazon should pay its workers more and give them better working conditions.

I'm actually very sympathetic to workers who are losing ground or in a bad, hopeless situation. But we have robots because humans are not cost effective. Paying workers more is a losing proposition.

6 posted on 03/10/2018 7:18:56 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (The government cannot protect you and isn't even trying. Self-defense is a right.)
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To: ilovesarah2012

Lonely older Americans is nothing new.
Back in 1961 I had a part time job in a large hospital in Iowa. I observed so many older people who received
no visitors.


7 posted on 03/10/2018 7:19:00 PM PST by entropy12 (30 Million low wealth, low skill LEGAL chain migrants in 25 years is 60 times worse than DACA)
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To: ilovesarah2012

And that explains how Amazon keeps getting more and more applications every year, how?

We have friends who have been working for Amazon every year for six years now and going back again this fall, and they’re now in their 70’s.


8 posted on 03/10/2018 7:20:02 PM PST by chaosagent (Remember, no matter how you slice it, forbidden fruit still tastes the sweetest!)
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To: ilovesarah2012

This same article has appeared at least twice on other websites over the last few months. It’s probably a good thing that more older Americans become aware of this likely outcome if you don’t plan or make some kind of preparation for the later years. My landlord allows me to rent out the second bedroom because he knows I pay rent on time, and keep things relatively clean and quiet. For now, that is my Elder-Plan.


9 posted on 03/10/2018 7:21:37 PM PST by lee martell
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To: ClearCase_guy

“We have met the enemy and he is us.”


10 posted on 03/10/2018 7:22:16 PM PST by Fungi
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To: oldplayer

Oh yea, this same story gets repeated here constantly. And there will be other Freepers jumping on this thread stating that I just don’t get it.


11 posted on 03/10/2018 7:22:34 PM PST by caver
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To: caver

Yup! Spent their money on “Nice to have” items —— Boats, water skiedoos, etc.
I asked my former neighbors -—— “Saving anything for the future” Ans: “Naa, we’ll have SA and a pension.”
Sure! I believe that they are living in a van in New Mexico.


12 posted on 03/10/2018 7:22:35 PM PST by TaMoDee (Go Pack Go! The Pack will be back in 2018!)
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To: TaMoDee

Exactly!


13 posted on 03/10/2018 7:23:24 PM PST by caver
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To: Mercat

My parents were these “poor homeless”. They sold their home, auctioned off most of their possessions and spent 12 years traveling up through every Province in Canada, every state in the USA. They wintered along the coast in Texas and planned for the next summer to hit Habitat for Humanity builds, helped any Christian denomination build or remodel their church.

The builds allowed them to not only get free parking and utilities; it also fed them. For just 2 days a week, they got free meals, free hookups and got to work with others like them. There are groups of people just like them.

When they realized they could no longer be nomads; they sold their beloved rig and moved into Assisted Living.

Not all that wander are lost. Some are EXACTLY where they want to be.


14 posted on 03/10/2018 7:23:25 PM PST by Hodar (A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.- Burroughs)
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To: ilovesarah2012
It was slightly interesting the first time someone pounded out an article on this tiny section of America some twenty years ago.

Now it has become tedious.

15 posted on 03/10/2018 7:24:04 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Bunnies, bunnies, it must be bunnies!! Or maybe midgets....)
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To: ilovesarah2012
We saw in the 1980s a shift from pensions to 401(k)s; that was a raw deal for workers. These retirement plans were marketed as an instrument of financial freedom, but they were really transferring risk from the shoulder of the employers to the backs of the workers.

"Financial freedom" was the problem as well as the selfish employer refusing to take care of its employees for life.
16 posted on 03/10/2018 7:25:55 PM PST by neefer (We're walking real proud and we're talking real loud again.)
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To: caver

Comes around every time a non-Democrat is elected President.


17 posted on 03/10/2018 7:28:07 PM PST by rlmorel (Leftists: American Liberty is the egg that requires breaking to make their Utopian omelette)
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To: caver

“Another story about people making poor life choices.”

Many of whom are spoiled Baby Boomers who fell on bad luck once their parents weren’t around to bail them out. But it’s those terrible Millennials that are causing all of the problems...


18 posted on 03/10/2018 7:28:54 PM PST by WilliamCooper1
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To: ichabod1

Aging hippies? Is Woodstock over? Why don’t they hang out at Burning Man?


19 posted on 03/10/2018 7:29:42 PM PST by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam. Buy ammo.")
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To: Hodar

That’s an amazing story. Your parents are awesome.

Sadly, most Boomers in America think the second mortgage on their home for a boat is the pinnacle of success.


20 posted on 03/10/2018 7:31:27 PM PST by WilliamCooper1
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