--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People do not retire. They are retired by…" description: "\"People do not retire. They are retired by others.\" — Duke Ellington" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/duke-ellington-7513_people_people-do-not-retire-they-are-retired-by_1062691.jpg" --- # People do not retire. They are retired by others. ![“People do not retire. They are retired by others.” quote by Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/duke-ellington-7513_people_people-do-not-retire-they-are-retired-by_1062691.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/duke-ellington-7513_people_people-do-not-retire-they-are-retired-by_1062691.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04b/duke-ellington-7513_people_people-do-not-retire-they-are-retired-by_1062691.jpg) > “People do not retire. They are retired by others.” [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Retirement isn’t a personal decision; it’s often imposed by external circumstances. **In simple terms:** Retirement is often forced by others. Key Takeaway Plan for autonomy in later life. Themes work age society Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type career societal When to use this quote - career planning - policy advocacy - personal finance Key Concepts employment ageism financial security Questions to Reflect On - How can you retain agency over your later years? - What support systems help prevent involuntary retirement? A Different Perspective Some may choose to stay active beyond formal retirement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) ## Related quotes > [When people retire, they should stay retired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/when-people-retire-they-should-stay-retired/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [My experience is, people who retire die sooner than they should have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-lee-bailey/my-experience-is-people-who-retire-die-sooner-than-they-should-have/) [F. Lee Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-lee-bailey/) > [What happens to most intelligent people is they retire after they turn 26 or 27. I don't have to deal with that problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-schultz/what-happens-to-most-intelligent-people-is-they-retire-after-they/) [Dave Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-schultz/) > [A man can't retire his experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/a-man-can-t-retire-his-experience/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [When you retire, you switch bosses - from the one who hired you to the one who married you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-perret/when-you-retire-you-switch-bosses-from-the-one-who-hired-you-to-the/) [Gene Perret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-perret/) > [Portland is where young people go to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/portland-is-where-young-people-go-to-retire/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [Portland is quickly becoming one of those lovely, lush Third World countries where kinda-rich people retire with their money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/portland-is-quickly-becoming-one-of-those-lovely-lush-third-world/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [There's a lot of people that retire and come back a year later, but I don't like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-rua/there-s-a-lot-of-people-that-retire-and-come-back-a-year-later-but-i/) [Mauricio Rua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-rua/) > [Social security has enabled people to retire with dignity and overwhelmingly not be in poverty. We have to keep it solvent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/social-security-has-enabled-people-to-retire-with-dignity-and/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [I never understood that when I heard people retire - they said they missed being around the guys. I don't have a need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/i-never-understood-that-when-i-heard-people-retire-they-said-they/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [At 50-60, people either retire or they start falling sick, but 'Swami' is a person who will always remain strong. He has lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-bajpayee/at-50-60-people-either-retire-or-they-start-falling-sick-but-swami-is/) [Manoj Bajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-bajpayee/) > [I'm talking to a lot of my industry to maybe try to create a guild and coalition where people, when they retire, would get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-crenn/i-m-talking-to-a-lot-of-my-industry-to-maybe-try-to-create-a-guild/) [Dominique Crenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-crenn/) > [Football is full of highs and lows, but when people retire, they often say, 'I wish I'd enjoyed it more.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-robertson/football-is-full-of-highs-and-lows-but-when-people-retire-they-often/) [Andrew Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-robertson/) > [When some people retire, it's going to be mighty hard to be able to tell the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-graham/when-some-people-retire-it-s-going-to-be-mighty-hard-to-be-able-to/) [Virginia Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-graham/) > [Actors can't retire. If actors retired, there would be nobody left to play old, wrinkly people. You have to keep going, darling - don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/actors-can-t-retire-if-actors-retired-there-would-be-nobody-left-to/) [Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/) ## More by Duke Ellington > [New music? Hell, there's been no new music since Stravinsky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/new-music-hell-there-s-been-no-new-music-since-stravinsky/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Jazz today, as always in the past, is a matter of thoughtful creation, not mere unaided instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/jazz-today-as-always-in-the-past-is-a-matter-of-thoughtful-creation/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [The most important thing I look for in a musician is whether he knows how to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/the-most-important-thing-i-look-for-in-a-musician-is-whether-he-knows/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Music is my mistress and she plays second fiddle to no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/music-is-my-mistress-and-she-plays-second-fiddle-to-no-one/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [The common root, of course, comes out of Africa. That's the pulse.The African pulse. It's all the way back from . . . the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/the-common-root-of-course-comes-out-of-africa-that-s-the-pulse-the/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Love is supreme and unconditional; like is nice but limited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/love-is-supreme-and-unconditional-like-is-nice-but-limited/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [The problem of expressing the contributions that Benny Carter has made to popular music is so tremendous it completely fazes me, so extraordinary a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/the-problem-of-expressing-the-contributions-that-benny-carter-has/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [If anybody was Mr. Jazz it was Louis Armstrong. He was the epitome of jazz and always will be. He is what I call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/if-anybody-was-mr-jazz-it-was-louis-armstrong-he-was-the-epitome-of/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Jazz is a good barometer of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/jazz-is-a-good-barometer-of-freedom/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/i-merely-took-the-energy-it-takes-to-pout-and-wrote-some-blues/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [The artist must say it without saying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/the-artist-must-say-it-without-saying-it/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Problems are chances for us to do our best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/problems-are-chances-for-us-to-do-our-best/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [“New York is a place where the rich walk, the poor drive Cadillac's, and the beggars die of malnutrition with thousands of dollars hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/new-york-is-a-place-where-the-rich-walk-the-poor-drive-cadillac-s-and/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Hurry, get on board, it's comin', listen to those rails a-thrumming all aboard. Get on the "A" train, soon you will be on Sugar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/hurry-get-on-board-it-s-comin-listen-to-those-rails-a-thrumming-all/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) > [Everybody in Canada seemed to listen to what they enjoyed, and nobody could tell them what to like, or what was the popular, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/everybody-in-canada-seemed-to-listen-to-what-they-enjoyed-and-nobody/) [Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) [Explore all 90 Duke Ellington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/) ## More People quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) [Browse all 211,607 People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People do not retire. 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