[LPTS]

Very great mathematicians are born. You're either born as Ramanujan or Erdos or you're never going to be Ramanujan or Erdos. No way around it.

But, merely pretty damn good mathematicians can work really good and be a thousandth as useful as an Erdos or Ramanujan.

[andreyf]

I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't want live the life of Erdos...

[cperciva]

* I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't want live the life of Erdos...*

Come on... travelling the world and couch-surfing for years on end, while having no financial concerns at all? I think most people would love to live that life.

[andreyf]

For a bit, sure, but I'd imagine sooner or later, most people get tired of doing math 16-20 hours a day and want to start a family or something.