The Mid-Life Migration, the Big Shift and a New Social Imperative

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We need a new map of life. We've been making do with one that was fashioned for an expected human longevity of 70 years. At one time such a lifespan constituted progress, but we can't stuffa 21st century lifespan into a life course designed for the 20th century - or stretch the old model so that it accommodates a task well beyond its intended capacity.

Though it starts with the numbers, the story really is about the nature of lives.

In 1900, the lifespan in the United States was 47 years. Today, it is approaching 80 (although great disparities persist across class and race). Overall, that's an increase over a 100-year span that approximates all the gains since the …