Mentoring is Good for the Mentor and Mentee

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the benefits of mentoring for both mentors and mentees, as highlighted by a book review of Marc Freedman’s “How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations.” Participants reflect on the value of mentoring in extending the intellectual engagement of older individuals and the impact of online forums in facilitating this process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that mentoring can provide a sense of legacy for older individuals, especially in contexts where traditional accolades are absent.
  • Others argue that online forums serve as a valuable platform for older individuals to enhance their knowledge and cognitive engagement, potentially extending their working life.
  • One participant shares personal experiences with cognitive testing, suggesting that participation in discussions has revitalized their intellectual abilities and appreciation for knowledge.
  • There is mention of the participant's high performance on cognitive tests, raising questions about the implications of such results for understanding aging and intellectual capacity.
  • Another participant humorously comments on the conditions of the testing environment, questioning whether certain experiences were part of the test itself.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the positive aspects of mentoring and the role of online forums in intellectual engagement, but there are varying personal experiences and reflections that introduce differing perspectives on the topic.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on personal anecdotes and subjective experiences, which may not be universally applicable. The discussion includes references to specific cognitive tests and personal achievements that may not be representative of broader trends.

BillTre
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This NY Times book review of Marc Freedman’s new book, “How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations”, discusses the benefits of mentoring for older people doing mentoring as well as the youonger ones being mentored.
Seems appropriate for a forum full of mentors and provides a way to consider your legacy in the absence of Nobel Prize type (astoundingly good) work.
 
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These forums seem a remarkable environment to nurture and extend the working life of an aging mind. Short of returning to the classroom as a student or faculty IT, participation in these online discussions and exposure to new and legacy publications and ideas has improved my knowledge far beyond usual self-study.

I took a series of intelligence and cognitive function tests in 2014 that lasted 8 hours covering a variety of subjects including mathematics from natural numbers to algebra, plane geometry, and even a few differential equations in the final module. They asked history and art questions. Q: "Who wrote 'Faust'? A: "Which play? Kit Marlowe, Goethe, uh Walt Disney (Fantasia?).". Q: "What is the "Mona Lisa? Who was the artist and subject? A: "A painting by Leonardo da Vinci of La Gioconda, wife of the patron." Q: "What is meant by the expression 'carpe diem'?".

The test chamber became uncomfortably hot. Noticed that the air conditioning outlet in the ceiling was blocked. When left alone, I removed the grille and paper wedged in the duct restoring air flow. Part of the test? The IQ/EQ sections reminded me of Stanford-Binet multiphasic updated to reduce cultural bias. Wrote a short essay comparing Kurosawa's "Ran" to Shakespeare's "Lear"; why 3 daughters had to become 3 sons, etc.

In all humility I was told I placed at a level above 99.8% of educated adult population. This may have been for Nevada but, even so, I am happy to find an international site like this with so many members and mentors more intelligent and knowledgeable than I was even in my prime. Old skills I thought atrophied are returning along with an appreciation of the amazing breadth of knowledge and depth of information available.

I should test again in a few years when over 70 to measure decline or, hopefully, improvement. Thanks.

[Edit: Test requested by Veterans Administration (VA). I was not told cohort makeup or size.]
 
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Klystron said:
he test chamber became uncomfortably hot. Noticed that the air conditioning outlet in the ceiling was blocked. When left alone, I removed the grille and paper wedged in the duct restoring air flow. Part of the test?
http://screenprism.com/assets/img/article/_1080x400/kobayashi_maru.jpg

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Klystron said:
This may have been for Nevada but ...

Hey now...
 

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