Nevin's Data "Points"

  Each year, the Oxford University Press proclaims a “word of the year,” — and this year they chose “rage bait [i] .” Now, even the Oxford proponents admit that this is actually TWO words (all while professing that they are not trying to “rage bait” folks by choosing two words) — distinguishing it from the “etymologically related”  clickbait  as having a more specific focus [ii]  on evoking anger, discord, and polarization.  In other words, whereas we once said “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me…”  Well, now it seems words can.  We are, of course, routinely inundated with negative assessments of American workers’ retirement readiness, retirement confidence, and financial acumen.  We’re told that the system is “broken,” that there’s a retirement “crisis,” that billions (if not trillions) of retirement savings have been “forgotten,” and that individuals think they will need about twice as much in retirement savings a...

  So, what kinds of things get your blood “boiling?” Some of you will recall that back in 1976 there was a movie called “Network” with a big cast that got nominated for a bunch of academy awards including best picture and director (didn’t win), as well as best actress and actor (won both, as well as best supporting actress and several others). The underlying premise of the movie was one of corporate greed, more specifically the extremes to which TV networks would go to garner ratings. The most extreme was allowing an aging network anchor named Howard Beale to remain on camera after he said he was going to blow his brains out on national TV. Well, he didn’t — but he did wind up being positioned as a kind of “mad prophet” ranting about the ills of society, leading up to an evening where he encouraged similarly frustrated viewers to go to their respective windows and shout “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” While that frustrated call to action likely didn’t actua...