Wealth Prattle

I came across a piece of Baby Boom Babble in the Business Section of the New York Times today. On the lead page is this headline: “Taking a Job Out of the Financial Equation.” The continuation of the story on page B5 says, even more wordily, “Planning Your Life After You Take a Job Out of the Financial Equation.”  This is a cultural…something. The meaning of these headlines is not hard to grasp—although the sentences are long for a lead. “Preparing for Retirement” would do. The many words, therefore are intended to signal—what exactly? Some kind of exaltation? The personal importance of the reader? The story isn’t aimed at Everyman. “Financial Equation” has a much grander sound than “Income.” “Taking a Job Out” suggests that we can also, quite at choice, “Put a Job Into” that high-falutin’ equation. Having a job or not having one is, of course, a life-style choice—for the wealthy. It did not surprise me, therefore, that the story is illustrated with the picture of a quite young-looking 64-year old who “hired a life planner before she retired.” Right on. To hire or not to hire. A life planner. That is the question.