Of course somebody has to work for them as well. But does not really change anything, this is why I left it out.
> It's not like the young come from nowhere and suddenly have some responsibility to work for the old when nobody never did anything for them...
This is not about responsibility or morale, but just about the pure economics of life.
Well, the "pure economics of life" for humans include that for human life to be sustainable, we should tend to the young (for a culturally adjusted 18 years or so), and that we should tend to the older (65+) too.
Being framed as a "ponzi scheme" targeting the young at the point they enter the workplace, hides that fact that a lots of money and parental energy (and even more time unaccounted for as money) were given to said young before that point...
It's not exactly a "ponzi scheme" if Ponzi and his money, time, and effort is the only reason you're alive and working now...
Resource consumption per capita of youth is less than elderly (especially healthcare), and generally reduces with time (excepting education). Youth lasts only 15-20 years before gainful employment can begin. Old age stretches from 65 onwards. Early retirees may spend 50 years or more "retired".
Which with average life expectancy is close to 15-20 years of remaining life. E.g tons don't make it to 70 even.
>Early retirees may spend 50 years or more "retired"
Early retirees are usually people who saved money / hit the business jackpot, not people who expect some others to work to pay them a pension.
We're also forgetting that (at least in civilized pension systems) retirees at 65 had 30-40 years of paying taxes (along with the employers part) for their pension scheme.
At 45 (early retirement under many systems), 36.1 additional years.
Well, we're forgetting the very young (0-18) who the older work for them, to house, nurture, feed, educate, and usually spoil them...
So there's that. It's not like the young come from nowhere and suddenly have some responsibility to work for the old when nobody never did anything for them...