Zuckerberg Turns The Big 3-0 And Is Now Basically Unemployable
Today is a momentous occasion in the life of one the tech world’s greatest wunderkinds: Mark Zuckerberg turns 30. It’s an even more notable birthday for the Facebook founder than the average joe because of an off-the-cuff comment he made about younger people being smarter than older people back in 2007 when he was, most definitely, a young man.
“I want to stress the importance of being young and technical,” Zuckerberg told a crowd at Y Combinator back in 2007, according to VentureBeat. “Young people are just smarter,” he continued. “Why are most chess masters under 30? I don’t know.”
Age 30, it seemed to 22-year-old Zuck, is a year in which you are no longer “young”. To be fair, he further qualified his point of view. “Young people just have simpler lives. We may not own a car. We may not have family.” Later he added, “Simplicity in life allows you to focus on what’s important.”
He had a point about distractions in life, although you could argue that he was a bit misguided. True, being unattached and owning few possessions can leave you free to--for example--build one of the most important Internet businesses of all time, but having a partner and raising children and going on beautiful vacations, etc., though “distracting”, can also bring fulfillment and great joy.
In any case, Zuckerberg is joining the ranks of the not-young today. But if anyone teases him about it today or brings up his comments from 2007, he’ll probably just shrug and go back to being an insanely successful billionaire.
“I want to stress the importance of being young and technical,” Zuckerberg told a crowd at Y Combinator back in 2007, according to VentureBeat. “Young people are just smarter,” he continued. “Why are most chess masters under 30? I don’t know.”
Age 30, it seemed to 22-year-old Zuck, is a year in which you are no longer “young”. To be fair, he further qualified his point of view. “Young people just have simpler lives. We may not own a car. We may not have family.” Later he added, “Simplicity in life allows you to focus on what’s important.”
He had a point about distractions in life, although you could argue that he was a bit misguided. True, being unattached and owning few possessions can leave you free to--for example--build one of the most important Internet businesses of all time, but having a partner and raising children and going on beautiful vacations, etc., though “distracting”, can also bring fulfillment and great joy.
In any case, Zuckerberg is joining the ranks of the not-young today. But if anyone teases him about it today or brings up his comments from 2007, he’ll probably just shrug and go back to being an insanely successful billionaire.
