It really depends on how deep these things are. When it comes to certain matters such as faith, family values or even programming habits they're much harder to change. Sure, anybody can try sushi for the first time when they're 50.
It is much much harder to ask someone to be open to a new way of seeing life, especially in the areas you mentioned. Pick your favorite controversial political topic - a prime example of how difficult it is to get people to open up.