Why do I keep hearing the remark that "Americans are getting old"?

Question

Do people from other countries not get old? Do they turn them to "Soylent Green" when they reach a certain age? Do their people die from illness before they get old? If Americans are getting old aren't their children still here and still "American"? What's with that remark?
(o.O)...

Answer 1

The baby boomer generation is our current largest living generation, since big families were encouraged after WWII. A generation later, we were warned about population explosions and birth control became more acceptable. The Baby Boomer generation is about to reach retirement age. There aren't enough workers to fully take their jobs.

However, our population is not declining, it is growing, in part due to immigration. Note that if we opened up skilled worker categories for precisely the qualifications that are most needed in this country at any time - we would be able to get those qualified people. A lot of people want to come here, not just the unskilled, geographically proximate people.

So population is a fake argument. Our kids could have an average of 3.7 kids and turn things around. Or we could allow immigration crafted precisely to best meet our country's needs. We are not so desperate we need to take unskilled, uneducated and uninvited people, as some suggest in their questions.

Plus, immigrants, once they become citizens, can bring parents. Poor immigrants are more likely to have indigent parents whom themselves need more services, at the same time our baby boomer generation will be aging and need services. Importing poverty is bad policy, in any country.

Answer 2

I think what is meant by this is that the majority of the population is getting older. For two reasons, the baby boom generation is getting older and people are living longer.

If today, there are more people at the age of 50 than any other age, then next year the majority age will be 51 and so on until enough of them die off and that group falls to second place.

Forget it, I don't know what I'm talking about.

Answer 3

Yes, people from all countries get old but some countries have many old people and few young people while other countries have many young people and less old. It's a cycle.

We're heading into a cycle where we will have many more old people than young. This is happening because of the baby boomer generation that resulted with many births after WW II.

Answer 4

Well, it's because the baby-boomers are becoming senior citizens and we had one heck of a baby boom in the 1940s. The echo boom resulting was smaller and as family size has decreased over the years, the aging baby-boomer population is a huge factor in our society.


Hey Computer Guy - how about you put me in quotes next time you say the same thing I did? LOL

Answer 5

People in other countries did not have that pronounced baby boom back in the 40's, or the timing is different. So in the US we have a relatively large segment of the population retiring within the next 10 years, whereas other countries don't.

Answer 6

All people become old, that is life. I think what they are trying to get to is the fact that Americans are not reproducing as quickly as the majority of illegal immigrants because Americans are older.

Answer 7

I'm assuming they mean because most people are so out of shape. I remember that movie, it was pretty cool.

Answer 8

They are living longer