Agreed... and essentially, a lot of people get into government at different levels for completely differing reasons.

Yes, age is irrelevant, if you're actually approaching the challenge from a point of being self-actualized. Which would also suggest that you would get a cross section of self-aware individuals from a wide age range. And yet? I can't help but fear that with that degree of self-awareness, people look at politics and feel dis-inclined to get anywhere near it...