youth or consequences

In the 20 Oct issue of The Nueva Jorker, there is an article by Malcom Gladwell about our propensity to think of young prodigies as the epitome of talent, whereas their elderly counterparts just got lucky. "After 17 novels and no success, you're bound to get one right." Thus goes the thought process. But Gladwell points out that there are two distinctly different ways to achieve greatness in art. Instinct and perseverance. Robert Frost, maybe the best known and loved American poet, didn't publish his first book of poetry until he was 40, as just one example of the perseverance path. 

This common misconception may be the reason why Hollywood, for example, worships youth and mistrusts maturity. Screenwriters who have children have been known to make sure during phone conversations with execs that there are absolutely no screams or crying in the background, which may prompt the exec to ask exactly how old the writer is, and thereby blow his or her cover.

I think that if someone is incredibly talented AND young, it is just that much more impressive, so we tend to steer towards youth in order to satisfy our need to believe in something which is nearly unbelievable. 

Of course, the only thing not mentioned is the path that most people take, that of working steadily, gaining small successes here and there, continuing work and improving, and then coming out with a masterpiece in middle-age which was built upon what you have learned as you go along.