The advantage of being older, in my opinion, is that it allows behavioural patterns to be revealed. Generally the older someone is, the more experiences they have had, and so more opportunity to see how they act or react in different situations. This means that it may be easier for an older person to detect whether or not they have a belief simply as a coping mechanism, or as a reaction to adversity, because they have a greater store of examples. However, age does not indicate one's level of introspection. A younger person may be more insightful and reflective, than an older person.
Quote:I don't use the time spent as any kind of 'proof' other than proof that it's persistent.
That's how I feel about it, too. My age has given me the opportunity to examine why, on some occasions, I ran away from exploring my kin self and why it persists. It's not my age that justifies my beliefs, but the journey I have taken over those years and the patterns that I have seen in it.