May I also suggest, that you are taking things a little too personally? You are internalizing something which IMHO, you shouldn't. A thick skin helps.

To answer your other question:

>Would this article be banal to a 10 year old? A 20 year old? How many super surprising things might seem banal to an 80 year old?

This would be quite banal to a well read 'smart' 20 year old. ( 10 year old - extremely unlikely)