“Living in the moment”… How a 20 year old sees their life in 2067
Reindeer,
Their retirement, they don’t think about it. Some admit to us that they never even thought about it. This Tuesday, they took to the streets to shout against reforms sought by Elisabeth Borne’s government that would extend the retirement age to 64 years. Whether they are 15, 18, 20, 24 or 27, these young people are all worried about their future. But they are far more worried about the precariousness of their future than about the hypothetical pension they can claim in forty years’ time. Everyone we met stressed the need to live with dignity without killing yourself at work. The following are some testimonies obtained at random from our discussion in the procession of protesters in Rennes. Discussions with a saturated background sound, sometimes interspersed with broken windows and even interrupted by burning Tesla smoke.
Mathilde, 24 years old, AESH
She works 24 hours a week as support for students with disabilities (AESH). A job that Mathilde really likes but doesn’t plan to do in her whole life. “It’s like pasta. Even if you like it, after a while, if you eat it every day, it becomes tasteless,” he smiled. “I, I’d rather not work too long, or else you’ll be hurt. How does he view his retirement? “If it was 64, I think I would have died before. And if not, I can see myself in my parents’ old house, growing my little vegetables with a few dogs.”
Sami, 19, in high school
She wants to become a special education teacher. A job that made him want to but he didn’t intend to practice without counting. “I don’t see myself working like crazy just to save money. This is modern slavery. Working his whole life just to retire a few years, that doesn’t make me want it. I prefer to live in the moment. If retiring at the age of 64, Sami will have to wait until 2069 to rest. “I can’t even think that far ahead. I get the impression that we are slowly coming to a terrible end, without us knowing it. »
Marie, 27, child entertainer
He only works full time during school holidays. Animator for children, Marie has a “very irregular” and not very profitable job. Not very profitable in terms of pension contributions. “I feel unable to take a full time job, to wake up every day. My mom, she works all the time, I never saw her. It’s impossible to imagine myself forty years in the same box. His life goals? “I don’t need a big salary. What I want is to enjoy life, even if it’s a little precarious. And for retirement? “Somewhat messy house with friends. I prefer kindness and love to money. »
Léa, 16, in professional kitchen baccalaureate
He believed he had found his calling. But that first contact with the chefs didn’t exactly convince Léa to pursue a career in catering. “I don’t want to do this anymore. So what else?” Not important. I think I want to find a job to save money and then go travelling. And then start working again to save and again and again. “Gruyère’s career that could cost him during the contribution period forced him to leave at full rates. If he leaves at the age of 64, it will be in 2071… “I didn’t see myself in a nursing home or a hospital bed, it looked too miserable to me. I want to enjoy life before I reach 60 or 70 years old. At that age, you no longer have the confidence to take advantage of it. »
Martin, 18, is looking for work
When asked what his plans were for his retirement, Martin was furious. “I don’t know what I will do next year. So in forty years, I can’t even imagine. Activist, he wants to keep hoping for collective mobilization to change the law. “When I’m old, I want to be in a fairer system, which will change thanks to our struggles. Meanwhile, he does odd jobs. “It’s tough mentally and physically.”
Félix, 20 years old, in geography college
He first validated BTS before switching to university to take geography courses. From the peak of his 20 years, Félix hopes to validate a master’s degree to work in coastal protection. his retirement? “If I’m in the office, at the age of 64, it’s okay. But to donate 40 annuities, I find that preposterous. I can’t see myself doing the same job all along. If I have to save, it’s for profit. I can’t see that far. »
Élise, 15 years old, high school student
He “didn’t know” what he wanted to do next. But he already knew what he didn’t want to do. “Working 40 years in the same company as my parents, it’s not. There will be so many changes, so much to see, to do. But I got the impression that once you leave your job, you start over. If she retires at the age of 64, Élise can expect to settle down in 2072. What kind of life does she want to lead then? “I find it hard to imagine myself. But I can’t imagine it going on like this. »
