It’s a balancing act with no clear one size answer. Can’t fix stupid, nor can you teach wisdom. There’s definitely situations where I’d want someone older in charge, cooler heads and all that.

I think when you see a rigid seniority system in place, it’s usually a stand in for a more equitable solution. Sometimes the argument over who gets precedent isn’t worth the trouble, and it’s easier to just say fuck it and go by seniority. Less fair than some methods, fairer than a lot though too.