[analog31]

I'm thinking of an analogy: Musicians. The definition covers all levels of involvement and skill, but every "musician" pursues some amount of musical activity and learning, voluntarily.

Nobody has a choice about math in K-12 school, though there are kids who will choose the more advanced classes on their own. For instance my daughter proactively convinced her high school to let her skip a grade in math.

In college, you can choose to major in math, or in a math intensive subject like CS or physics. Within those disciplines, you can choose the more mathematical specialties. In the work world, you can volunteer for assignments that involve math, or get a reputation for being willing to solve hard math problems. That's me.

I don't see it as a "switch" because my interest in math was evident (so I'm told) before I could even talk.