The sort of attitude he is demonstrating is backed by some sort of perverse notion that "smart" people somehow owe so much more to society than the rest of huma

The sort of attitude he is demonstrating is backed by some sort of perverse notion that "smart" people somehow owe so much more to society than the rest of humanity that they should not have hobbies because that would delay them paying back their debt. I don't know what could cause somebody to adopt such a twisted notion, but I think the roots of it go deeper than I care to know.