The phrase "picture if you will" is widely associated with the TV show The Twilight Zone and its creator and host, Rod Serling. The Twilight Zone ran from 1959–1964. Each of the 156 episodes was a self-contained story, typically 30 minutes long, blending science fiction, fantasy, suspense, and psychological thriller. The tone was often cerebral and speculative, with episodes frequently ending in a clever or unexpected twist.
Source: Pinterest
The series served as a powerful platform for social commentary, using allegorical storytelling to explore complex, often controversial, issues such as racism, war, censorship, and conformity in American society. Serling was the creative mastermind, serving as creator, executive producer, central writer (penning 92 episodes), and the instantly recognizable on-screen host and narrator.
Source: Wikipedia & Ebay
Night Gallery was Serling's follow-up series, focusing more heavily on gothic horror and the macabre. Episodes, which often ran in an hour-long format with multiple segments of varying lengths, were introduced by Serling in a dimly lit art gallery setting, unveiling a painting that depicted the story to follow. The show had a bleaker atmosphere and drew inspiration from classic horror authors like H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe.
In today's episode we're going to focus on something that can be macabre and scary to retirees who have not planned for it: inflation and rising costs over a 30-year retirement life expectancy. As I recently turned 60 years old, someone sent me a chart comparing the cost of living in October 1965, the year I was born, to the cost today, 60 years later. When you see how much prices have risen over the last six decades, it is truly scary.
Source: Spectrum Unlimited
You will immediately notice how frightening rising prices can be. The price of a loaf of bread or the cost of a new house have increased 9X over the last 60 years, roughly in line with wages, which have risen by the same amount. Things get considerably scarier from there. The price of a new automobile or the gallon of gas have risen by more than 14X over the last six decades.
Do you know what most people think is scary? Volatility in the stock market. Since I was born, the stock market has gone through 3 downturns of 45% or more, during the ’73-‘74 Arab oil embargo and inflation crisis, during the bursting of the dot.com bubble and 9/11, and during the ‘07-‘08 Great Financial Crisis. However, if you look at the chart above, you will notice that the Dow Jones industrial average rose from 969, to 44,722. This was an increase of 46X!! Far outpacing rising costs and inflation over that time frame.
You will also see, that on October 5, 1965, the day I was born, the S&P 500 closed at 85.16. On October 5, 2025, the S&P 500 closed at 6740. This means that the broad stock market, which includes 500 of the largest and best capitalized companiesin the United States, increased by 79X over my lifetime!!
“Picture if you will” how afraid you would be if you had not been wise enough to invest a significant portion of the assets that you needed to provide your income and quality of life over a 30 year retirement life expectancy in stocks, the only asset class that substantially outpaced inflation over that timeframe. Periods of volatility and dislocation may seem scary, but it is far more frightening to think what life would be like if your investment assets didn't outpace inflation and provide you the quality of life you are looking for during your retirement years.
I thought this was a great lesson and reminder, especially as the media screams that markets are too risky. From the data above, we can see what is truly risky is not keeping pace with rising prices during your retirement years. Please feel free to pass this important message along to friends and family. They may not have a trusted advisor who helps guide them and keep them “Moving Life Forward.”
© 2025 Jesse Hurst
Senior Wealth Manager
Related Content
The views stated are not necessarily the opinion of Cetera and should not be construed directly or indirectly as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Due to volatility within the markets mentioned, opinions are subject to change without notice. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Investors cannot directly invest in indices.
Featured Blog Image Source: iStock.com/Ekaterina Torosyan