I’m 36 and still very much love reading about all this stuff and participating is various forums but I don’t have the family+busy career thing so that’s probably what it is.

Grey_Beard
I have you by over 2 decades. I still read voraciously about technology and my work industry, but I have gone in and out with regards to forums. I spend a few years active and then not active. Not sure if it’s time, work, family or just the ebb and flow of life. I tend to think it’s just the ebb and flow of life.

See I've stopped enjoying it, it dawned on me when a friend asked me what I'd recommend him build earlier today, and i realized I don't have a clue, the last video card review i read was for the GTX 1080Ti, and the last CPU review i read was the R5 3600x. I spend all day working on computers at my job, im a systems admin now, and i manage our windows deployment environment, I know about the windows update cycle, i know about recent vulnerabilities that are a danger to our computers and i know which updates to push, but consumer hardware i couldn't tell you anything anymore, and when I get home I honestly just zone out watching youtube or playing wow with my wife.

I do not work in technology, but technology has an impact on my work. Computers are my hobby, but I usually only research when I want an upgrade or when a friend asks for counsel. I give my opinion, but because I do not involve myself with it for a paycheck, I do not get burned out, but I do allow myself a respite from time to time.

On a side note, just read a great article from NPR about the Solarwinds hack. I bet you are very versed on that. This impacts hardware and software. That event will have long lasting implications that will circle around at various time when least expected.

STR1D3R_2
As you get older you will find that learning newer things take a bit of a mind flux. In order to take in something new you will need to delete some older files. If you happen to be tired at the time you will fear that the older files may include some precious memories and tell yourself that you will look into this some other time but never do. It is human nature. Not sayin this is good advice but it truly is the nature of things. I say take in anything and everything you can at any time of day or night. If it is something you are interested in, learn it. Never give up, never surrender!
edit 52, nearly hitting 53

not a bad idea, my heads full of useless information these days, i can tell you the specs for a Riva TNT2, or a Geforce 8800GTX, not relevant anymore lol

haha 51yo here and in the tech industry, just got back into gaming during Covid, "back in my day" I started on 8086 processors in IBM PC's that cost $20k...
recently I've built a couple of decent machines, but seriously lacking in the GPU are (second hand GPU's)
once I get interested, I tend to get into things in a big way - read up everything, get on youtube
 

It is harder as you get older, I'm 68.  It also seems that you are correct that it takes longer for my brain to fire up to the learning mode. 
 
I started with the forums in '09 when I started building with EVGA components.  I come and go as far as participation in the forums, but do read them.  I started in '79 or '80 with the Trash-80 and the usual progression.  I decided I could build my own systems the way I wanted them in the mid '80s and have been doing that ever since.  I got into custom loop water cooling about 10+ years ago.  In our household, when I build a new system I must build two (my wife tells me what she wants in her system).
 
 

Dendra
Not so related to age but rather your lifestyle.

You'll likely get into it again when you have a strong reason to do so.

I think this is one of the main reasons.  I haven't bought any new computer parts in a long time -minus a monitor upgrade cause bigger is better when getting older and eyes are not what they used to be. I dont overclock anymore... hell I dont even watercool.   No reason to upgrade as I haven't really played any new games.  If you are into it at one point, you still have the interest... you just dont "need" to until you require a reason. Upgrading just for the sake of it was never my thing (Cause family and all) but what I could afford I pushed it to the limit.
 
Also there became a point where GPU's sort of went off the deep end and never looked back.  To the point where you could buy a used beater car for the price of a single video card.   That has thwarted my upgrades.  I am not at the point in my life where I have legit disposable income.  I do OK and can afford my Astronomy habit (which seems to be the main hobby which ties into a camping/boondocking hobby) but I really do miss the tech stuff.  I miss designing waterblocks and all that stuff.

I'm near 60 years old...and I find I dislike tech more and more the more intrusive it becomes.
 
It's supposed to be a tool to help, not be a tool to spy (imo).....it's become the latter, rather than the former. So I rail against it
quite a bit more than I used to...
 
 

I think forum software is dated, reddit has a better setup for threads

I started reading the forums again in the early morning prior to going out to catch golden hour, photography, landscape and nature, is another passion.  The forums used to have a lot of good info, and still do, some of the above posters were significant contributors. 
 
It seems that since I started reading the forums again, there is a plethora of complaints about GPU shortages, distribution, etc., which none of us can do anything about (anyone checked the availability and pricing of good hardwood, e.g., walnut, cherry, maple lately?) might as well get your TS card stamped by the chaplain and keeping going.
 
Other than upgrades, I've been doing complete new builds on a three to four year cycle for my wife and I and I still enjoy it.  What I don't enjoy is that I have to clear brush and mow this afternoon.

I used to be so active on the bungie.net forums when I was younger. Almost everyday I was on checking out the goings-ons. As we age our time becomes more valuable so we tend to prioritize, though what we prioritize and focus on changes all the time.

Life comes at you fast and interests can change or get adjusted based on your work and/or personal life.  I read, watch, and listen to more game related stuff than I actually play games.    I have plenty of time to play any game I want as I do not have kids or other duties, but just thinking about what to play out of the 100s of games I bought on steam on the cheap, I end up watching youtube video or something else instead.   As for pc hardware, I keep somewhat up to date to know what the good parts are to get for price/performance.

Interests change over time and it's impossible to stay abreast of everything. Now I'm interested in learning about deer and hunting them. Who knows what's next.

Interesting thread! I'm sure most of us ( in 30's & 40's) are faced with the usual work and family aspects of life that can feel draining. But, wouldn't that make your passion burn even stronger? Like, thank god work is done and the kids are done, let's dissect this new 3080 it's supposed specs! ! What about the growing bot/scspler/availability/ price of these cards? I mean, the inability to get something after wanting it for so long, could have a negative effect, right? I'm just speaking for myself I suppose. But, my interest quickly declined after release of the 30 seeies and has slowly gone done since. Hopefully the passion comes bsck!

Demanding your attention to stay on something will lead to actual burnout. Enjoy it when you do, don't when you don't. It doesn't make you any less valuable a contributor if you take a break.