[elchief]

that's cool and all, but it seems like a waste of talent to learn all that stuff to shuffle money around and occasionally destroy the world economy.

it's interesting that it's 80 percent men. it's obviously going to be very lucrative.

[comm_it]

In what way is it a waste of talent?

Additionally, how are they occasionally destroying the world's economy?

[elchief]

Are you kidding? Did you miss the whole 2008 financial crisis? The quants thought the could control risk, but couldn't.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/17-03/wp_quant?curr...

It's a waste of resources as moving paper around does not contribute to economic growth, whereas say spending time and energy on AI or nano might.