5 ms·

What about Grigori Pereleman? Is he a complete waste because he declined to take the prize money for his proofs?

sp4rki 16y ago
No, taking prize money in no way equates making money by means of his work (as in a job) at the Steklov Mathematical Institute. If he would have worked at a call center, I'd say that yes it's a waste. I never said the point was to make MILLIONS of dollars, but to use your abilities to make money, i.e. work. If your life's work is math, carpentry, or the trombone, so be it. But coasting through life doing odd jobs to get by when you have a skill in which you're proficient is an insult to the rest of the people that don't share it.
- ido 16y ago
  If your life's work is math, carpentry, or the trombone, so be it. But coasting through life doing odd jobs to get by when you have a skill in which you're proficient is an insult to the rest of the people that don't share it. I still disagree with you, but to each his own I guess.
stoney 16y ago
Grigori Pereleman would be doing mathematics with or without the prize money. I think sp4rki's point is that it's a waste if not taking/making the money means that you have less time to do whatever it is you're good at. E.g. the artist who could make money from it but chooses not to, and as a result has to work at the convenience store, and as a result produces less art. Though that last bit is a bit contentious - maybe working at the convenience store is a good source of inspiration for that artist.
- maxawaytoolong 16y ago
  Grigori Pereleman would be doing mathematics with or without the prize money. But, according to various accounts he's probably not. He quit doing mathematics and just lives with his mother and goes to the movies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman#Withdrawal_from_mathematics.3F http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman#Withdrawal_fro...

No, taking prize money in no way equates making money by means of his work (as in a job) at the Steklov Mathematical Institute. If he would have worked at a call center, I'd say that yes it's a waste. I never said the point was to make MILLIONS of dollars, but to use your abilities to make money, i.e. work. If your life's work is math, carpentry, or the trombone, so be it. But coasting through life doing odd jobs to get by when you have a skill in which you're proficient is an insult to the rest of the people that don't share it.

ido 16y ago
If your life's work is math, carpentry, or the trombone, so be it. But coasting through life doing odd jobs to get by when you have a skill in which you're proficient is an insult to the rest of the people that don't share it. I still disagree with you, but to each his own I guess.

stoney 16y ago

Grigori Pereleman would be doing mathematics with or without the prize money. I think sp4rki's point is that it's a waste if not taking/making the money means that you have less time to do whatever it is you're good at. E.g. the artist who could make money from it but chooses not to, and as a result has to work at the convenience store, and as a result produces less art. Though that last bit is a bit contentious - maybe working at the convenience store is a good source of inspiration for that artist.

maxawaytoolong 16y ago
Grigori Pereleman would be doing mathematics with or without the prize money. But, according to various accounts he's probably not. He quit doing mathematics and just lives with his mother and goes to the movies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman#Withdrawal_from_mathematics.3F http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman#Withdrawal_fro...