re: cultural stimulations
I'm not so sure.
I think in french, work in flemish and read in english (ok, roughly summarized). There's so much stimulation if the job (insurance) is very different from the hobby (astronomy).
It would depend on us to take time to read a book or a science magazine.
There is a lot of cultural stimulation coming from the internet and that can only be good for the brain.
It's superficial, yes, but it helps bringing arguments like never before!