Certainly I didn't mean that people should be forced to work. I think work should be a choice, regardless of whether you're 65, or under or over 65. On the other hand, I think the gift of retirement is one that shouldn't be forced either. If you decide to retire, that should be up to you and not to someone else.
In terms of new technologies, some very interesting data has been turning up. For example, one of the largest users of the Internet for dating are those who are over 65. And I was quite surprised to find that video games and Internet games are played mostly by people who have retired.
If we think of technology in terms of the use of computers or understanding of high tech, I'm not sure that we necessarily find a deficit in those who are older. I think that used to be the perception, that older people fell behind, but I don't think that's really the case. I have a teenage son, and I certainly agree he can do things on the computer I cannot do. On the other hand, I have skills that he certainly doesn't have--although I wouldn't mention that to him.
I think this is true in terms of people who are older. We have a bank of knowledge that in a sense has been under-recognized in our society. We see older people as falling behind, when in fact I think in many ways they are way ahead of younger people because of their accumulated knowledge and experience. There is more and more research, for example, that older people do not lose their memory. In fact, their memory becomes more powerful and stronger. Another thing is that older people in the workforce, because of their very long and continued employment, have access to things that happened in the past that are still very relevant to the present. Unfortunately, younger workers would not realize that.
Not to take too long to get to your point, but I certainly am against forcing a person to work. That is not what I'm advocating. On the other hand, with respect to retirement, as I mentioned earlier, no gift should be forced.