[theoj]

>> The reason it’s so hard for adults to learn new things is that there is no authority figure punishing them if they fail.

I think it's way more than that. Once you're out of school, there is no one to set goals for you. Even assuming you do have goals, there are no structured classes or textbooks to get you to those goals with your eyes closed. You are essentially both the teacher and the pupil and you must figure out your own curriculum in addition to doing the learning.

[capkutay]

I agree. Studying CS in college I never had an Aha! Moment or a specific moment where I knew I "learned to code", but the cumulative knowledge I gained from following the strict college computer science curriculum gave me that skill over time.

[nbashaw]

Great point! I totally agree