He had a point. He just phrased it in a way that alienated a lot of people. But there is a certain energy and willingness to see things in unconventional ways that most people lose as they get older. <p>I also think the world is changing to value it more.
Math, for example, is famously a young man's game. And I think the world is changing so that more things are like math.
Zuckerberg is not very smart here, and his comment illuminates the area where younger people are stupider (in general): Blindness. Lack of awareness of the world around you means that you will not understand what your customers are asking for, etc. You can get away with this when all your customers are within 2 years of your age. But it will come up to bite you... better to be wary and listening rather than arrogant.<p>There is no area of achievement-- physical, mental, or character where one age group dominates over another. There are exceptional people at all ages. <p>The perception that there are more exceptional young people is actually ironic-- its more surprising when a young person has high achievement and so it gets more media coverage. Exceptional achievements from older people are less noteworthy-- even though they are not less exceptional.<p>Confusion on this point is exactly the kind of naivete' that keeps young people back.<p>DO NOT BE ARROGANT-- it doesn't pay. It is a form of escapism.<p>
Maybe I am just jealous since I am over 30 and have not yet succeeded in a startup, but I think it is lack of commitments that allows younger people to be more inventive. If your mind is occupied with IRAs and Cars and Kids ... etc, you never have enough time to get immersed in the process of solving problems.