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When we're young, the world is full of opportunities. As we get older, the doors to those opportunities close, and fewer things seem possible.

uonpopular_th 4y ago
Not really. There's just as many opportunities in every age, it's just that you've been burned enough times to realize that the majority of opportunities are nothing of the sort.
- tenpies 4y ago
  I think the better example is that when you're young, the world hasn't sorted you into a bucket yet. Education, university, and your first jobs are largely that process: figuring out in which bucket you'll fit in society. When you're older, if you want to change buckets, there is no easy mechanism. Even going back to university is clunky. It's by no means impossible, but I do wonder if we're missing out as a society for not having a very formalized process for adults who want to change buckets later in life. The other problem is for lengthy training periods. Giving up 10 years for education and training when you're 20 is acceptable. When you're in your 30s or 40s, why that's a substantial amount of the time you have left before society decides you are old and must retire.
  - LBJsPNS 4y ago
    As the exception to that rule, I changed careers completely in my 60s, and picked up yet another at 66. You are welcome to remain in a bucket, I'm way too busy.
    - ux-app 4y ago
      60s is a great time to jump buckets. Kids grown up. No debt if you're lucky and possibly some decent passive income. 30-50 is hard, primarily due to obligations you can't just walk away from. Your mortgage drains $Xk/month and the kids need braces is a bad time to try and find yourself ;)
- dehrmann 4y ago
  Another part is the saying that the young are too dumb to know what's impossible.
hasbot 4y ago
When we're young, the world is full of dreams and aspirations. Over the years we discover that many of those dreams aren't realistic or possible. Sometimes we actually accomplish those dreams and we find it isn't as great as we thought. Or maybe we're happy with the result and are now content and stop dreaming.

uonpopular_th 4y ago

Not really. There's just as many opportunities in every age, it's just that you've been burned enough times to realize that the majority of opportunities are nothing of the sort.

tenpies 4y ago
I think the better example is that when you're young, the world hasn't sorted you into a bucket yet. Education, university, and your first jobs are largely that process: figuring out in which bucket you'll fit in society. When you're older, if you want to change buckets, there is no easy mechanism. Even going back to university is clunky. It's by no means impossible, but I do wonder if we're missing out as a society for not having a very formalized process for adults who want to change buckets later in life. The other problem is for lengthy training periods. Giving up 10 years for education and training when you're 20 is acceptable. When you're in your 30s or 40s, why that's a substantial amount of the time you have left before society decides you are old and must retire.
- LBJsPNS 4y ago
  As the exception to that rule, I changed careers completely in my 60s, and picked up yet another at 66. You are welcome to remain in a bucket, I'm way too busy.
  - ux-app 4y ago
    60s is a great time to jump buckets. Kids grown up. No debt if you're lucky and possibly some decent passive income. 30-50 is hard, primarily due to obligations you can't just walk away from. Your mortgage drains $Xk/month and the kids need braces is a bad time to try and find yourself ;)
dehrmann 4y ago
Another part is the saying that the young are too dumb to know what's impossible.

hasbot 4y ago

When we're young, the world is full of dreams and aspirations. Over the years we discover that many of those dreams aren't realistic or possible. Sometimes we actually accomplish those dreams and we find it isn't as great as we thought. Or maybe we're happy with the result and are now content and stop dreaming.