[jacoblyles]

Former investment banker here. I got the feeling that my ex-coworkers were at the center of the social mainstream. But when I was at the office late on a Sunday night, I could see that they were hard workers with a focus on getting things done when it mattered.

The biggest difference between a banker and a computer geek is that the banker drinks more and has a better looking girlfriend. Both of them work hard when the success of a project depends on it.

[trominos]

Based on the stereotypes I've heard, I'd say that investment bankers are also outside the "social mainstream" of workers.

EDIT: Okay, I sort of see your point. My feeling is that if you consistently work long hours you definitionally put yourself outside of the "social mainstream," because I was thinking of "social mainstream" as "the set of people whose non-work lives are fairly similar to the median".

Whereas I think you're using a definition closer to "people who aren't 'weird'/'losers'". I don't think that's what the original commenter meant, but it's possible. And if that's what he meant, I think you could be right.

[/EDIT]

For the record, I don't (necessarily) agree that geeky people are more likely to do good computer work than non-geeky people. I just think that it's a valid point of discussion, and that in particular comparing the quoted comment to racism instead of addressing it is both incorrect and incredibly obnoxious.

[jacoblyles]

>"Based on the stereotypes I've heard, I'd say that investment bankers are also outside the "social mainstream" of workers."

Well, they are far more likely to have season tickets for the local sports team than four-day passes to Comicon. They do have a high-percentile ambitious streak that is abnormal.

The idea that socially mainstream people can't work hard is ridiculous. However, it is probably not helpful to bring up racism, as our modern culture cannot handle discussion of racism rationally. "Racism" is substituted in people's minds as "absolute evil", so it's good style to leave it out of discussions except when absolutely necessary.

[unalone]

Past a certain point it becomes "live and let live". I'm sure the things you like are things that other banker might not be able to stand; similarly, if you tried walking in his shoes you'd find how uncomfortable you found them. So from just what you wrote it sounds like you and the other guy found an equilibrium, where you were both happy with what you had.