[mathgladiator]

That's very true.

Part of the culture of learning higher math however rewards/tolerates esoteric behavior where practicality is just not valued.

I think it is all about related rates. If you are studying abstract algebra now hard-core, then you are missing out on doing some cool Kinect hacks now. Or, you are missing out on chatting up the girls over at the pub.

I found math very ... addicting, and I wish I had learned balance sooner. Instead, I thought it was a lot of fun to sit down every evening and grind on problems from "Berkeley Problems in Mathematics"

[dfox]

In most mathematicians and theoretical physicist I know this tolerance for "esoteric behavior" probably caused exactly opposite effect: they are probably too much sociable and cool.