If you figure that a year in internet time is like 10 years in real time, then if you've been around here for three years, you're a senior citizen. Someone who spends a year and a half contributing is in a mid-career mode, and is probably getting itchy for a change. Imagine the poor two year grunt who has faithfully contributed for two years, and sees retirement looming on the horizon.
Seems to me that by the time you've been here about 6 months, you eould have earned a few stripes, and be at least moderately respected for your opinions, and if you are contributing, you would still be fresh, but not neccessarily considered "new blood".
Imagine the burn out you would experience after a virtually converted 30 year career, perhaps the idea of seeing a couple of new folks jumping in the pool is welcome, especially if you are experiencing battle fatigue from flame fests and a 30% rate of acceptance on the 100% of work you have submitted, not to mention you provided it for a community with 90 percent of it's viewers choosing to freeload instead of contribute financially to make it better.
I guess it would be kind of like working in a coal mine your whole life to make other people's lives better only to be forgotten quickly after the last explosion causing violation was discovered post-accident.
Perhaps sometimes it is useful to step aside and allow for those with stronger backs and younger lungs pick up the slack. Regardless of the passion one has for their work, eventually candles burn low and must be conserved, new wax must be formed and wicked, and new lights be allowed to glow.
Old talent is not antiquated or unuseful, but it is foundation, grounding, the cornerstone of future cityscapes.
Those who now find themselves in the driver's seat should thank the old ones for allowing space for the new ones to grok and grow strong. After all, waiting is, and a humble egg can not contain all the knowing that an old one is.
The situation is as it should be, and although wisdom and inspiration will, from time to time, be dispatched on behalf of those forefathers who bore the burden of the frontier life, the newly apparent skills of those who choose to access and exploit that wisdom will, too, stand the test of time.
You will see, eventually, those "30 year veterans" will someday be you, and it might be sooner than you think.
Sembetu
