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Why Do People (Usually) Learn Less as They Get Older? - Scott H Young

scotthyoung.com · 1,108 words · saved by 1 readers

I was recently a guest on a podcast where the host asked why people are less interested in learning as they get older. While there are certainly exceptions, the observation seems valid. Nearly all formal schooling is concentrated in our childhood and early adulthood. Stories of people going back to school in their twilight years are newsworthy precisely because this is rare. It also fits with my informal observation that people are much more reluctant to pick up new skills or topics as they get older. I learned to downhill ski at thirty, but I only personally know a few people who began much older than I was. This is a worrying trend. Learning is an integral part of the good life, so if forces make it harder (or less desirable) to learn, it seems like it would be helpful to understand them. Let’s consider three theories, and see what they suggest we can do about defying the trend. The first explanation is economic: learning is an investment. As you invest in some skills, but not others

I was recently a guest on a podcast where the host asked why people are less interested in learning as they get older. While there are certainly exceptions, the observation seems valid. Nearly all formal schooling is concentrated in our childhood and early adulthood. Stories of people going back to school in their twilight years are newsworthy precisely because this is rare. It also fits with my informal observation that people are much more reluctant to pick up new skills or topics as they get older. I learned to downhill ski at thirty, but I only personally know a few people who began much o

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