Youth is not primed to hear the music of human complexity. Youth shapes the curvature of the experience of older men and women to fit a small box of limited experience.
Youth substitutes energy of mind for fullness of mind.
Youth, in short, isn't wise. As vice provost for academic planning and development at Stanford, Chace in 1988 headed the task force that recommended Stanford begin a continuing education program. He noted that as of the 1996-97 academic year, there was a 42 percent growth in enrollment and curriculum over the previous year, an increase in the number of graduates of the Master of Liberal Arts program, an expansion of the travel program and a successful marriage of CSP with the Summer Session program. But . . . it must be lived forward. Chace suggested that continuing education is one manifestation of Kierkegaard's wisdom.