第18部分(第6/7 頁)

he　scene　where　Tom　Cruise　is　leaving　the　firm。　He　has　just　been　fired；　and　he　is　asking　the　entire　pany　〃Who　wants　to　e　with　me？〃　And　the　whole　place　is　silent　and　frozen。　Only　one　woman　speaks　up　and　says；　〃I'd　like　to　but　I'm　due　for　a　promotion　in　three　months。〃

That　statement　is　probably　the　most　truthful　statement　in　the　whole　movie。 It　is　the　type　of　statement　that　people　use　to　keep　themselves

busy　working　away　to　pay　bills。　I　know　my　educated　dad　looked　forward　to　his　pay　raise　every　year；　and　every　year　he　was　disappointed。　So　he　would　go　back　to　school　to　earn　more　qualifications　so　he　could　get　another　raise；　but　again；　it　would　be　another　disappointment。

The　question　I　often　ask　people　is；　〃Where　is　this　daily　activity　taking　you？〃　Just　like　the　little　hamster；　I　wonder　if　people　look　at　where　their　hard　work　is　taking　them。　What　does　the　future　hold？

Cyril　Brickfield；　the　former　executive　director　of　The　American　Association　of　Retired　People；　reports　that　〃private　pensions　are　in　a　state　of　chaos。　First　of　all；　50　percent　of　the　workforce　today　has　no　pension。　That　alone　should　be　of　great　concern。　And　75　to　80　percent　of　the　other　50　percent　have　ineffective　pensions　that　pay　55　or　150　or　300　a　month。〃

In　his　book　The　Retirement　Myth；　Craig　S。　Karpel　writes：　〃I　visited　the　headquarters　of　a　major　national　pension　consulting　firm　and　met　with　a　managing　director　who　specializes　in　designing　lush　retirement　plans　for　top　management。　When　I　asked　her　what　people　who　don't　have　corner　offices　will　be　able　to　expect　in　the　way　of　pension　ine；　she　said　with　a　confident　smile： 〃The　Silver　Bullet。'

〃　'What；'　I　asked；　'is　The　Silver　Bullet？'

〃She　shrugged；　'If　baby　boomers　discover　they　don't　have　enough　money　to