You've heard of AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons.
Well, I have been wondering about the honesty, truthfulness, and sincerity as it relates to the stated and inferred purpose, goal, and mission of AARP for a long time now.
First off, this organization formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons is NOT an organization of and for retired persons. AARP allows and solicits persons age 50 and over, retired or not.
Then there is another small area of concern of mine that the AARP acts more like a propietary organization than a nonprofit organization. It seems to me that the AARP which promotes itself as "a membership organization leading positive social change and delivering value to people age 50 and over through information, advocacy and service" is more attune to dealing in and hawking the sale of various kinds of insurance such as automobile, motorcycle, home, mobile home, long-term care, life, health, hopiital cash benefits, dental, and the like than it is to the overall inferred purpose as an advocay organization for retired persons. There's also the annuities that AARP promotes to the members for purchase - er, I mean investment. Heck, AARP even hawks its own credit card label. I wonder what kind of sweetheart deal exists between the paid executive staff of AARP and all the "vendors" that are promoted ad nauseum to AARP members.
Oh, yeah, sure, the AARP offers its members discount deals on such things as hotels, motels, car rentals, air fare, cruises, and such other drivel to stimulate public interest in joining the AARP as it continues its cozy arrangement to contribute to full employment by expanding and maintaining jobs for its paid staff. Oh yeah, the paid executive staff also does some lobbying and recruits the AARP members to volunteer their own time and effort to the lobbying causes that the staff promote.
Well, enough of all that. Is the AARP untruthful, dishonest, deceptive, and misrepresentative it its name or is it just a matter of a misnomer?
2 comments:
Roland,
I am beginning to think that AARP is just another good idea gone bad. I believe that time and money have perverted any noble purpose that it might once have had. I seems now that AARP is more interested in larger numbers, more money, and greater influence and power rather than the best interests of its memebership.
Hmmmm ... does this kind of organization remind you of anything else?
Roland,
AARP is a business, pure and simple.
Next time it's time to renew it's bye bye from me.
I've had my fill.
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