Just what is it that we are supposedly “giving back”? Will someone come along and explain that please, because as far as I’m concerned, I don’t feel I “took anything” whilst holding down a full time career to now have to “give back”. What I did do when working in paid employment, like anyone else in paid employment, was contribute to society by paying tax (which, incidentally, many of us who are retired still do), paid national insurance, worked long hours, often over and above what I was actually paid for, and quite honestly contributed a heck of a lot to the economy (and still do, as we all do, every time we buy something). I feel that I’ve earned my retirement.
I refuse to be guilt tripped into feeling I should continue working (in a voluntary capacity or paid) because someone out there (whoever that someone is) believes I should be “giving something back”.
If someone wants to volunteer, fine. If someone doesn’t, that’s equally fine. What’s not fine is these sanctimonious busy bodies trying to dictate how others should choose to spend their retirement years.