It was never about age. It was always about experience. It’s just that, in the days of yore, the way to gain more experience was to live more. There were very few avenues to gain different experiences, and I am not sure if people were particularly interested in gaining more and more experiences. There was a class of people that was more inclined to learn and they were respected even before they aged.
In the new world, there are lots of opportunities to learn and in general, there is a peer pressure to know more and more. The economic structure that rewards experience and knowledge in disproportionate (arguably) manner has created an atmosphere where people strive to gain experiences and knowledge.
Well, that’s why age matters less and less in the new age. It was never about age anyways.