I’m a fan.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/23/grigory-perelman-rejects-1m-dollars
You’re a fan of a jobless autistic recluse who happens to be very good at solving math problems?
His work is truly the work of a genius. It was not only a math problem…it was one of the “harder” ones. However, his behaviour is just as peculiar. He’s not the first mathematician to go “crazy” (or at least who retreat totally from social life), though. Just look at Goedel, Nash or Grothendieck, for example.
Money in the bank does not make a person, although the fast cars and gorgeous girls than come with it matter some.
Plenty of scientists find incentive in being the “first” to discover & publish some matter, prior to the financial gains from this. And any monetary issues relates simply to being able to confidently spend time on solving problems in the future.
In Soviet Russia
you pay the price money.
You must’ve never met an autistic person if you’re making jokes about autistic people.:rolleyes:
Maybe he’s one of the people who believes that it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re on the road to being rich, maybe he’s just happy that he’s able to use his ability.
Maybe he didn’t joke. You assumed that he meant ‘autistic’ as a negative saying. So according to you; to be autistic is bad.
The fact is that Pearlman lives with his mother in a apartment, in a poor neighborhood, and is socially cut out from the world. The money would help him and especially his mother, whom probably feeds his lazy ass, to live nicer.
The fact he didn’t take the money makes him to an egoist.
Well I’m sorry he didn’t treat money like the ultimate equation to being happy and treat it like it must be pursued because it is the meaning of life and the answer to everything.:rolleyes:
I get the impression this is your view of money? If he’s happy with what he has then good for him.
I agree with bigbad.
And is it the right impression that you and Bigbad are right in ganging up to criticize people because they have Autism and don’t make choices you agree with?
If so why is that, why do you not want to have respect for people who have Autism?
Good point AD.
@ Bigbud & Matt Hatter - don’t gang up on people no more please.
No. I’m a fan of a successful professional who doesn’t give a damn to money.
Maybe its hard for the average guy to understand. Or maybe you flunked your maths class.
Two words: “Soopah genius!!”.
Also, he knows how to rock the beard, so that’s double props.
Living with your mother and having no job hardly makes you a succesful proffesional. Yes, he’s he a genius at maths but he’s also a nutjob. Not because he “doesn’t care about money” but because he could clearly use that money. Not to become happy, but to ease his life in even the slightest bit. The article also suggest that he didn’t accept the money not because he doesn’t care about it but because he feels himself to good to accept prize money.
And yeah, I flunked maths class.
I am reluctant to question the motives of someone who is leagues smarter than I am.
This youtube clip , from an interview, shows how Grigory Perelman works extra as a musician. His mother cries in the background. 
Censorship? What for??
Yeah the tone of that article is a bit against him. But most of those allegations are just that - allegations.
The only reliable quote from him regarding that is : (from Perelman’s wikipedia page)
He (Sir John Ball, president of the International Mathematical Union) proposed to me three alternatives: accept and come; accept and don’t come, and we will send you the medal later; third, I don’t accept the prize.
From the very beginning, I told him I have chosen the third one… [the prize] was completely irrelevant for me. Everybody understood that if the proof is correct, then no other recognition is needed.
I’m not interested in money or fame, I don’t want to be on display like an animal in a zoo.
I’m not a hero of mathematics. I’m not even that successful; that is why I don’t want to have everybody looking at me.
He also withdrew from mathematics because of ethical issues with fellow mathematicians.
I can’t say I’m outraged. Other people do worse. Of course, there are many mathematicians who are more or less honest. But almost all of them are conformists. They are more or less honest, but they tolerate those who are not honest.
It is not people who break ethical standards who are regarded as aliens. It is people like me who are isolated.
As long as I was not conspicuous, I had a choice. Either to make some ugly thing or, if I didn’t do this kind of thing, to be treated as a pet. Now, when I become a very conspicuous person, I cannot stay a pet and say nothing. That is why I had to quit.
…and the article[writer] off course knows best…
actually it stated that based on words of another mathematician/ex-colleague that may or may not be the case.