You’re only as old…

Lots of arguing about age going around. Dave Winer takes issue with Fred Wilson who has a been riding this thing for the last week (here, here and here. Oh, and here). As someone who’s too young to be a fogey (I hope) and too old to be a kid (I fear), I think there’s a danger in focusing on age at all. Sure, younger folks (probably) bring a unique perspective to the web, unfiltered by lenses – figuratively and literally – older folks apply from their past experiences. They also (tend to) lack seasoning in how to solve real-world problems, or as Dave Winer notes, the ability to work with a team to get things done. On the flip-side, veterans often let the accumulated weight of the world stifle their creativity and fail to recognize industry-changing events for what they are. On the plus side, they also (tend to) make the trains run on time and (generally) don’t bring as much ego to the party. Generally. I’ve also known kids and classics who mirrored the other’s profile dramatically.

The point is that the age of the individual doesn’t matter. It’s what he or she produces that makes all the difference. I’d rather work with someone with both clear vision and capable execution, regardless of their age. When you generalize, you block out possibilities. Focus on the possibilities each individual brings to the team and academic debates such as this simply melt away.