by Mary Catherine Bateson
Can old dogs learn new tricks? I’m not sure about the canines, but I’m often disappointed when I talk with people who believe that older adults can’t. I’ve seen too many examples of people who do.
Mary Catherine Bateson’s Composing a Further Life explores the evolving nature of aging, particularly the emerging phase of life that she calls “Adulthood II.” The big idea is that people in their fifties, sixties, and beyond are not merely experiencing the latter part of their lives but rather a distinct, meaningful phase filled with opportunities for learning, reflection, and service.
This book takes on many outdated beliefs about aging, which persist today. The book offers an optimistic perspective, arguing that older adults today have the opportunity to redefine their later years through personal growth, creativity, and contributions to their communities.
Bateson was a noted anthropologist and the daughter of renowned intellectuals Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson. This follow-up book builds upon her lifelong study of human development to examine how extended longevity provides new opportunities for reinvention. Through relatable personal stories and insights, she profiles people who’ve embraced this stage of life with purpose and applied the wisdom of adaptability.
The way most companies and institutions view traditional career arcs and retirement options continues to lack imagination. Bateson urges people to take control of their future with a proactive approach. She believes people can shape their growth as older adults, with the knowledge that they have both a lot to still learn and lots more to offer the world.
A New Life Stage
Bateson proposes Adulthood II as a new and distinct life stage. In her view, longevity trends have created a new extended period of middle age, which is different from both adulthood and old age. This phase is all about self-reinvention, contribution, and personal growth and fulfillment.
Composing a Further Life encourages people to reject he withdrawal of earlier versions of retirement and jump into this period of life with active engagement. Bateson highlights how people who embrace curiosity and learning find greater satisfaction in later life. She urges older adults to seek new experiences and pursuits, develop new skills, pursue creative endeavors, and stay mentally and socially active.
In Adulthood II, intergenerational relationships and mentorship come to the forefront. The book makes a compelling case for fostering connections with younger generations, noting that intergenerational relationships are usually mutually beneficial. Many of the people Bateson profiles report finding a new sense of purpose in mentoring, tutoring, and guiding the next generation.
A key part of redefining retirement comes from the evolving future of work. Traditional retirement is being reshaped by some phased approaches that allow some people the opportunity for the best of both worlds – meaningful work with greater flexibility.
Composing a Further Life is an inspiring and thought-provoking book that challenges conventional wisdom about retirement. Mary Catherine Bateson lays out a compelling argument for seeing later life as a time of continued growth, and significant contribution. It’s a thoughtful roadmap for how you can compose your own further life
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