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Consider that the reason they don't want to use their brains is that they don't seem to work effectively, but they don't want to admit they have some cognitive decline.

Like not wanting to go to a social function because you find them hard, one might say "I'm tired" or offer some other excuse because putting your failing on show is difficult too, the moreso when you're already smarting from a knock-back (being confronted with another failure).

> "I'm retired and now I can dedicate all my brainpower to these special projects I've always wanted to focus my energy on."

I'm not retired yet, but this is precisely what I'm looking forward to. The need to constantly generate an income is a time sink that really limits the ability to engage in far more interesting intellectual pursuits.

> I think the answer is not to retire and go rot in a chair while taking 5 naps a day.

Yeah agreed. I think the key to retirement - both early and standard aged - is that you don't stop doing stuff. You just get to do the stuff you really want to be doing. If all you do for the remainder of your life is park yourself on the couch and watch TV, yeah of course your both mental and physical health is going to decline.