Why is learning easier(or seems easier) when we’re young and futile, but as we get older learning gets harder, but understanding more abstract and complex subjects also gets easier?

Question

Like for example the older you get the wiser and more abstract minded you become, but the learning process on the other hand seems to wear down real badly with age, if you want to learn a language learn while you’re still young because language comprehension can only be so decent, right?

Is such mindfuckery, compare to the vocabulary and linguistics of a 25 year old compared to that of say a 10 year old and see the world of difference, of course some learn fasters than others and who knows sometimes kids can be smarter than adults, but is the brain just more or less plasticy when we’re younger? But then why does brain processing speed peak around ages 16-19 according to so many infographics that I’ve seen.

In: 1

Answer 1

It’s hard to show that learning does get harder because of age. Children learn a language fast because they regularly do not get their needs and wants met until they can communicate them. Putting an adult in that situation is fraught with legal and ethical issues.

The marginal cost of learning generally rises as you get the older and learn more things. I don’t think it’s harder, independent of subject matter. It’s a matter of motivation.