People do tend to become more (small c) conservative as they grow older for a multitude of reasons. It makes sense - you’ve spent years accomplishing various goals and establishing a place for yourself. You’ve got more to lose, so you resist change.

But what I’m talking about is the loss of novelty. You stop caring about every new fad, every new piece of tech, every new movement. Life loses the magical quality it holds for the young. You focus more on the things you think are important, while the rest becomes background noise.

You don’t really notice at first. Then one day you look up and everything is different. Young people are talking about stuff you’ve never heard of and doing things that seem silly and inconsequential. New ways of doing things become common, and you feel stupid because you haven’t learned them. Instead of being more knowledgeable over time, you find yourself having to relearn new ways of doing things you mastered years ago.

Some people try their hardest to keep up, even though it’s harder every year. Some people shrug and accept it, content to let the young find their own way. Some complain endlessly and try to fight against change, insisting that the way of life they’ve led is the only proper way to live.

This happens to almost everyone. There are a few who manage to hold on to that spark of curiosity and wonder into old age, but they’re few and far between. You probably aren’t one of them. I know I’m not.

So what kind of person will you become?