On Dec 17, 3:29*am, raulb wrote:
I have just seen an unscientific poll on a guitar forum that I found
fascinating, and not because of what it means for playing guitars. *In
this poll, almost 41% of those responding were between the ages of 50
and 59. *The next largest group, 40-49, is at only 18%.

Like most, if not all of us here, I am a glider pilot. *For years
people within the sport (myself included) have been moaning about the
lack of young people coming into soaring. *It seems that soaring is
becoming a sport for gray beards.

Yet soaring is not alone because all aviation is seeing the same kind
of shrinking numbers.

Now admittedly, aviation is not a poor man's activity but something
else is at work and I do not know what it is.

It seems that every sailplane, and even, power plane modeler I see is
middle aged. *Very few kids.

I also am a motorcyclist and I have seen reports that it too is
becoming (if not has become) an activity for middle-aged people with
few younger people coming up behind.

Name an activity, and the numbers are the same except one.

The numbers reverse if we talk about computer-based activities.
Although some of the early geeks are soon becoming middle aged, they
seem to be a minority.

What accounts for this dichotomy? *I can understand how, as you age,
that computer activities may become less engrossing. *But I do not
understand why younger people are abandoning these other activities.
We may stand to lose some of the traditional activities if the trend
continues.

Does anyone have an answer? *I don't.

One explanation seems to be ready easy access to highly entertaining
toys at low prices. The obvious lure of instant gratification. The
good news is that not all stay satisfied wityh shallow entertainment.
I have seen, in our club, a number of young people, who get hooked on
flying the simulator, and then want to do the real thing.One of my
current students, who is "old' at 16, thinks a fun afternoon is flying
a 747 from San Farancisco to Chicago or someplace on the sim- go
figure.
Our club has 29 junior members(some more active than others) out of a
total of just under 100.
One thing I am very sure of is that it is important for a young person
coming into the sport to not feel like he or she is the only kid. We
pair the new kids up right away with one of the others so they feel
quickly like they fit in.
As you allude- the other easy catch market is the person who now has
their kids launched and wants to go have some fun.
FWIW
UH