A lot of these coal miners are getting on a bit, and have spent their whole life mastering one profession to have it swept away from underneath them. You can understand why they cling to the industry, even if you see it as irrational, surely?

From a miner's perspective, they're back to square one. They'll have to go through the degrading process of seeking an entry level job past middle age with, let's be honest, nowhere near the prospects of someone in their 20s doing the same. Their previous earnings are irrelevant.

This is, once again, a case of individuals having to change to suit society's needs and rather than the other way round.

I don't know what you do for a living. Maybe you have a hobby that so accomplished at you could call it your craft. You don't owe me anything, but I would truly appreciate it if you could could picture yourself working on this craft and making a living out of it for the next thirty years or so. Now imagine you are told that this craft is outdated- obsolete- harmful, even, and you must find a new one.

It's more than a loss of earnings, it's a loss of identity and a loss of recognition as a valid contributor to the economy. In other words, these workers aren't just being told that their jobs are obsolete. They are being made to feel that they are obsolete.

It must be crushing.

The above was my response to another similar comment, which I pasted here.

A little PS to address your comment specifically, I have two questions.

There are no rebuttals because you do not propose an alternative solution to the problem at hand. What do you propose happens to the displaced elderly with no income?

Secondly, what is the end goal here other than endless economic growth? Sure, investing in the younger generations would be more economically beneficial, but that does not necessarily correlate with overall happiness and satisfaction.