“The likelihood of a major discovery increases steadily through one’s 20s and 30s and then declines through one’s 40s, 50s, and 60s.... The likelihood of producing a major innovation at age 70 is approximately what it was at age 20—almost nonexistent.” theatlantic.com/magazine/archi
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This is both so obvious and so liberating. Though age of peak varies wildly per research by Dean Simonton
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That was age 35 with the Gervais Principle, you guys are getting me 10 years late at half-downcycled state 😂
But seriously, I think it can either be depressing or liberating depending on whether you exult in people writing you off as a has-been, or dread the dismissal
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Richard Hamming remarked about the Institute for Advanced Studies that it was a genius killer. People did their best work before coming there... Einstein, Godel. More true in STEM with younger typical peak s. cs.virginia.edu/~robins/YouAnd
Yeah that section has always scared me. I love his idea of switching careers every so often.
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I can personally vouch that there’s nothing like switching careers for keeping you on your toes
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