I am just thinking out loud. I hope you don't mind.

Kuhn's book should be required reading in high school and college. It's a brilliant piece of social analysis. It explains fundamental aspects of how social systems work.

One of the biggest takeaways for me regarding paradigm shifts is that they tend to be generational. Even in scientific fields where you would expect “the evidence would prevail”. Almost always a previous generation has to literally “die off” before new paradigms can replace old ones.

Being from NC you might appreciate this. In "Random Thoughts - 03" I wrote:

"Because that’s how social change happens. Slowly over time, then all at once. Sucks to be you if you are born in the wrong generation. You get to spend your life swimming against the tide and being frustrated most of the time.

But then, not everyone gets to cross the Jordan and live in the Promised Land.

We forget those who “wandered in the Wilderness” for 40 years. Long enough for the generation who would always be Egyptian to die and those who had been born Israelite’s to come of age.

The story gets it wrong. G-d wasn’t punishing them, G-d was changing them. Growing a new people out of an old one. Even for G-d that took 40 years.

As a metaphor for how social change happens that story is insightful. As someone who has spent their entire damned life in the Wilderness, I cannot wait for our arrival at the Jordan.

The wilderness sucks. I’m really tired of it."

If you think of the Exodus as a metaphor for paradigm shift, it agrees with Kuhn on the timing.