I learned the following "fact" several times while I was in school: in the first year of your life, right after you're born, you are capable of learning a certain amount of information. With learning to walk and motor functions, there is a lot to take in.

In the second year of your life, you can only learn half that much. And the year after that, in your third year, half as much as the second year. So, the amount your brain is capable of learning cuts in half each year, becoming an asymptote as you hit middle age.

I don't believe this for one second, and I really don't care how much scientific evidence there is backing it up, I don't buy it.

For one thing, I don't believe in telling people they have limitations. The more you tell someone they're incapable of doing something, the more likely they are to believe you and accept that they are, in fact, incapable. I think that spreading the notion that once you reach a certain age that you're stuck where you are is irresponsible. (I know that once someone hits the age of 85, they may very well be stuck where they are, but I'm not talking about people that old.)

It is not good practice to build resignation into middle age. This does more harm than good. Better to tell people they have a fighting chance if they try than to discourage them from trying at all.