Steve's barking; To pension or not to pension

The wold has come to the point of deriding pensions.
State pensions the norm in Europe are being cut.
In the States we have eliminated or at least cut our private pensions, replacing them with something called a 401k were the individual invests their money and gets deferred taxation ( this scheme was devised to increase U.S. Savings rate). Public pensions are being attacked as being to costly.
What's wrong with cutting payouts on pensions.
Let me put it in simple terms. It's short sighted and maybe down right stupid.
(1)It's a tax on future earnings that being payed before it's given out(?).
(2) The future doesn't hold out that the number of jobs will increase with the population. Just think automation and an aged population. Less jobs for more workers.
Now going a step further, less pension money less ability to buy manufactured goods, not to mention paying for services.
(3) If in the future a large minority can't afford to pay for goods and services economies will collapse.

The reality isn't the reduction or the elimination of pensions is figuring out a way to make them grow and paying for them.