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Math genius living in poverty
smh.com.au — Grigory "Grisha" Perelman, the genius who won fame last week spurning a million-dollar prize after revealing his solution for Poincare's Conjecture. Is living with his mother in a humble flat in St Petersburg, co-existing on her $74-a-month pension.
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- cody50, on 10/12/2007, -5/+121Sometimes rejecting prize money is noble. In this case, it just seem foolish.
- onixxino, on 10/12/2007, -18/+4for some reason, the story pictured in my mind John Nash (in "A Beautiful Mind"). Well, at least, Dr. Nash did receive his noble price in economics.
- webslave1, on 10/12/2007, -39/+2awww hell maybe he just couldn't count all those zeros? what they should have said is we have dollars to the power of x for your bank account, then your mother can live in a nice house...... oh yes and drive a car what the hell just buy a block of flats and do your math let your mother do everything as usual.
one million dollars is ummm oh forget it now where's shrodingers cat? here kitty kitty, oh he's dead, um no he's not um ....... - eplawless, on 10/12/2007, -3/+31Does anyone have his email? I want to write him to encourage him to take the money, and try to convince him that he has made a difference in the world of this mathematician, at least.
- leobaby, on 10/12/2007, -7/+14Intelligence is not always a blessing.
- aks123, on 10/12/2007, -4/+34Who knows, maybe 75/mo is enough for them. I don't think we have a right to judge how much money other people need to make their lives fulfilled.
- JulianMorrison, on 10/12/2007, -15/+8Worse than foolish, destructively selfish. From now on anytime he and his mother go hungry, cold, in outdated clothes, don't go on holiday, etc, it will be *his* fault, no doubt about it. He will have imposed that, not only on himself, but on her.
- ashlvsya, on 10/12/2007, -9/+6Well he can use all them Math skills to count the money he hasn't got.
Ash - j10s, on 10/12/2007, -0/+31If you read the entire article, this man seems to be very depressed. Lets hope he comes around.
- maijc, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13maybe he is smarter that anyone in the reply, no offense, but maybe he think if he claim the $1,000,000.00 award, he will become egocentric or cocky or selfish. He says nothing gonna change his mind... and i believe that solving the Poincare's Conjecture, is more valuable than the million dollar. Just my thoughts.
- andreo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13@j10s:
I agree. This sounds like depression. His friends, instead of talking about how modest he is. Should be trying to get him some help. If not I have a feeling that we will be reading about him again with-in a couple of years. This time the story will be about how he was found hanging from the ceiling.
Also here's hoping that receiving the Nobel prize equivalent in mathematics will land him another job.
One more thought. Isn't it funny how people that can really contribute to this planet is forgotten about. While talking heads, bimbo models and singers, and people that in general just love to hear them self talk get all the fame and fortune. - Osjpr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It surely proves that meritocracy is partly an illusory ideal and not a total reality.
- sithmat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5He chose genius over vanity, so what? I would marry him.
- yahoofrom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@onixxino
John Nash is not a humble person. - transeunte, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I wish he would take the money just to throw a mad partai
- cantoral, on 10/12/2007, -1/+42He seems to think that all he needs is to be left alone to do math.
- GraceMolloy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18a million dollars could have insured that I'd think.
- jer2eydevil88, on 10/12/2007, -2/+36"I am not saying that because I value my privacy, or that I am doing anything I want to hide. There are no top-secret projects going on here. I just believe the public has no interest in me."
I think he's wrong. Anyone who can solve that complex of a problem has a lot to offer to society and could be very successful.- headzoo, on 10/12/2007, -13/+6Him saying "I am doing anything I want to hide. There are no top-secret projects going on here" is what I find curious. Who uses excuses like that? Is that the result of living in a society where citizens are spied on 24/7? i.e. a `1984` type country.
- freebirdpat, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Almost sounds like a real-life Good Will Hunting. At least from what I read, those that enjoy doing math always seem to be a little on the odd side.
- Metasquares, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15"Anyone who can solve that complex of a problem has a lot to offer to society and could be very successful."
He just solved a very difficult problem that had plagued mathematicians for years. He's already offered a lot to society and was very successful. That does not mean that the public will take interest in him, however :) - writingrights, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Headzoo--it's entirely possible that the interviewer asked a question that drew that answer out of him. "Do you have any big plans? things you're keeping quiet for now?"
- headzoo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Ah.. good point. The way it was presented, the guy sounded really paranoid.
- ZenomGT, on 10/12/2007, -27/+3How can someone so smart act so stupid? Take the million, get your family out of poverty, and at least live a moderate life. And even if you "cant" offer anything to the public, nothing will happen, at least you get some fame, which will soon enough lead to more money.
Or maybe there is something deeper we dont know about...Something he is being forced to do. Something that has to do with his country and the situation he is in."ponders"- tekmonkey, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
- dfunct, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16Thats easy - hes almost defiantly got a form of autism, its not that hes stupid its that he really doesn't want all the attention.
Plus hes one of my new hero's so back off - Osjpr, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3 He's simply a genius. You only have to read the language in the proof to know this. Autistic people can't grasp concepts that difficult and articulate them.
- Toupee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+32"Friends say evidence of Dr Perelman's innate modesty came when - having finally solved the problem after more than 10 years' work - he simply posted his conclusion on the internet, rather than publishing his explanation in a recognised journal."
That's actually pretty cool. Still, it's a shame the guy isn't too willing to accept the money - he obviously could use it, if only to help out his mother. - Neme, on 10/12/2007, -0/+18He may just be suffering from the humiliation he was put through (mentioned in the article). After recieving such a blow, perhaps he has alienated himself too far from society.
And I cannot help but be reminded of "Pi"'s protagonist, Maximillian Cohen. :P- karmakanic, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Yeah - was just thinking that...
- yahoofrom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Yeah, Salieri is always trying to hurt Mozart. (I know, historical Salieri ain't antagonist. but metaphor i mean.)
- karmakanic, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Yeah - was just thinking that...
- bgoodknight, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1It's not what ya know, it's who ya know!
=P - bgoodknight, on 10/12/2007, -25/+6weird, this is a Jewish man turning down free money? GTFO, he's up to something! lol
- kasted, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1its probaly the russian mafia
- karmakanic, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3All your math are belong to us.
- ChiChiCuervo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4It's not just that. Since communism largely destroyed morality, and the most immoral aparatchiks managed to gain control of all the money, the wealthy in Russia spend massive amounts of money, time, and effort on mafia-style warfare with each other. For anyone who is modest and wants to live a normal life in Russia, having wealth can be a terrible curse.
However, from RTFA, i agree that this guy is just depressed. After all, he could take his mother, money and move someplace safer... even nearby like Helsinki.
- Spikito, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Hell atleast take some of it, or maybe even take all and donate most to a charity. I dont like people giving me mony, but damn, a million?
- rolosworld, on 10/12/2007, -6/+9"One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing."
--Socrates - ahagen, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Fame has a price, perhaps too high for him.
- loki1584, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3poor guy. something seriously psychologically disabling must have happened to him at some point.
- ahutch1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+30this guy is my new hero. I know it seems foolish to not take the money, but its obvious he doesn't care about the fame, just the math. Instead of publishing it in some math journal he was just like screw it and put it on the web. kudos to him imo
- gothfox, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12He doesn't seem to care about his mom either, which doesn't strike me as something I would call noble. $74/mo is not much here in Saint-Petersburg, to say the least.
- mustbepatient, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Did you happen to read the entire article? He sounds miserable, and with the attitude he appears to have now, he will probably not contribute much else. I think he's a case study for the importance of valuing ones' self.
- mattyxo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@ mustbepatient
What strikes me is how so many people viewed his attitude as depressing. Consider for a second that he might hate to be placed in the category of 'famous' people - the same people who dress slutty for attention, buy their way to the top, have no real talent (I'm generalizing but you know what I mean). What's so wrong with no wanting money for doing something great? What's so wrong with no wanting the fame? Does an award make his work any more credible? Does it make it any more valid?
- LucasVB, on 10/12/2007, -1/+23I grew a huge respect for this guy the past months.
I think he's absolutely right. The public doesn't really care about him, the mathematical community doesn't really care about him and any attention he might receive is purely shallow. He recognizes this and doesn't feel any need to embrace this silly "fame".
He is the discoverer of the proof, and that's all there is to it. He is fine with that, and just wants to keep working with maths. For him, his job here is done. I agree with his point and attitude. - wurzelgummage, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2He's an agent from Special Circumstances, and has no need for your Earth money.
His mother is a drone, by the way. - MrTea, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8I think I would've done the same thing as well. I mean, he's accomplished so much just by living a simple life. If it were me, I wouldn't want to complicate my life with a little fame and fortune.
- Medusausi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Whether WE think he should have taken the money or not, his name WILL be written in the annals of history. Some things are more important than money and the stress and headaches having a lot of it brings.
- hasbeen, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I can understand that he doesn't want to leave the country/home for several reasons, but fame certainly isn't one. The reason is that he ALREADY is famous, otherwise you wouldn't read about him in newspapers and mathematical journals. Accepting the prize wouldn't really change this, he might get a bit more publicity for a few days, but that's about it.
In any case, if he doesn't want to leave his home for whatever reason, the cash prize should be sent to him. If he simply doesn't want it, then he can always donate it. - scispaz, on 10/12/2007, -9/+10A little math he should have done.
4% * $1 million = $40,000 / yr = $3,333.33 /mo
That is 45 times *his and his mothers* current income, by using conservative rate of withdrawl suggested for retirement (ie. all the money is coming out of interest).
Even without investing a dime in as much as a savings account the money would last 25 years being spent at that rate (meaning his mother wouldn't have to struggle to survive for the rest of her life).
The man is a complete ***** and/or fiscally incompetent, living off his poor mother like that.- n0xie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Not all people value money. I think he made himself pretty clear on that point in the article. Not all humans are capitalists you know...
- wompastompa, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0re: nOxie:
Not all people value peace of mind. I think he made himself pretty clear on that point in the article. Not all humans realize that money = freedom....
don't be such a douche.
- gabeN, on 10/12/2007, -11/+5Ya' like apples??? Well how do ya' like dem apples!?
- captjc, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2Applesauce, Bitch!
/Good Will Hunting 2 - Hunting Season.
- captjc, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2Applesauce, Bitch!
- daonlyfreez, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Simply bring the man the prize in cash and force him to take it, he can always burn it if he wants to. :p
- csrster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Why not give the money to his mother?
- transfire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I say he's lucky not to have to worry about it. I wish I had such a sum of money so I could do math! I'm under constant pressure to aquire income and all I really want to do is study.
- yahoofrom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think Perelman should take the money and donate it to you.
- hoowahman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2at least donate it to something that he would like to contribute to.
- dtfinch, on 10/12/2007, -5/+13His mom should kick his ass.
- ellenweber, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5What I find compelling about this sad story is that the areas of the human brain related to math questions differ from the areas of the brain related to intrapersonal intelligence. Where some would take criticism and be able to move on -- others struggle and are devastated with any personal problems that come from criticism or what appeared to be rejection. This story proves the case for multiple intelligences of which his math smarts are off the chart. Thanks for the interesting post.
Brain Based Business- Osjpr, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2They should send him 5 beautiful women and take his mother out for the night
- MrDaniil, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Well, lets put it this way - if he doesn't want to accept the money, don't offer it to him but hold it on a side for him. If he can't show up to accept the congradulations, come to him and offer it to him. He's done a lot; show it then.
- chriskzoo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Whoa, $74 a month? I think I'll move there - Hell, $1000 a month and I can live liek a king. A king I tell you!!!!
- sapo916, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Good luck earning that if you only have "Basic Skills"
- rowlodge, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0might be "idiot savant"...does'nt want anybody know that an idiot could possibly have alll the answers to the universe, we would scoff at him.
- endgames, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Charles Webb, author of "The Graduate", gave the earnings from the sale of the rights of his book to charity. I've always found that equally admirable and confusing. This is right up there with Webb.
"plastics!"- endgames, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I should also add, he also lives modestly, perhaps borderline poverty.
- FelixdaaHack, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Interviewed in St Petersburg last week, Dr Perelman insisted he was unworthy of all the attention, and was uninterested in his windfall. "I do not think anything that I say can be of the slightest public interest," he said.
A better article:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/maths-genius-living-in-poverty/2006/08/20/1156012411120.html- FelixdaaHack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/science/15math.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
- FelixdaaHack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"Friends say evidence of Dr Perelman's innate modesty came when - having finally solved the problem after more than 10 years' work - he simply posted his conclusion on the internet, rather than publishing his explanation in a recognised journal."
- wazzadoin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I wonder where he posted it.
- endgames, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5This isn't where he posted it, but here are notes on his solution to the tune of 192 pages.
Enjoy!
http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/math/pdf/0605/0605667.pdf
- endgames, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5This isn't where he posted it, but here are notes on his solution to the tune of 192 pages.
- sapo916, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Can someone just get the damn money and bring it to him... I mean *****, just put it somewhere where its impossible for them to reject it other than giving it away.
- RobotCitizen, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2I have to agree with those that think it was not noble to reject the prize. It seems almost an act of ego. At the very least he could have given his mother some financial security with the cash, if he didn't want it himself.
- endgames, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Here are his submissions:
http://www.arxiv.org/abs/math.DG/0211159
http://www.arxiv.org/abs/math.DG/0303109
Here is an explanation of his solution in terms a little easier to comprehend:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/jun2003/math-j03.shtml - FelixdaaHack, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1He has a history of turning down awards. He'll most likely win the Fields Medal (damn you Good Will Hunting) and won't show up for that either!
- polumrak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Almost every word of this article is a complete crap. An hour of Perelman's lection cost more than you can imagine. He is one of the most brilliant people of our time. He's a genius, not an authist.
Whoever wrote this is an idiot. Complete, total idiot, classic idiot, an idiot by a book. And so is everyone who thinks Perelman is a fool. - zinnia, on 10/12/2007, -6/+0has he got a pc?
- loureiro97, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1wtf are u talking about?
- CoffeeGoddess, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I agree with j10s in that he sounds clinically depressed. It would certainly explain his view that he is uninteresting to the public and why he would show so little interest in leaving the security offered by the familiar surroundings of his home.
Hopefully he has friends who will convince him to go and accept the money, it would be good for him on so many levels, not just financially. Hopefully they can convince him to find some help at the same time, too.- polumrak, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Oh my god, you people are total morons.
All of you.
You have not even a slightest idea who and what you're talking about.
He's a genius — you are dumb. He can stand for himself — you have to be guided.
Your opinion on his behavior just shows people how stupid you are. - loureiro97, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@polumrak
Would you have the geniality of not accepting a million dollars??
Especially with $79/mo... - polumrak, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1@loureiro97
1) Geniality has nothing to do with money.
2) Trust me, he does not live for $79/month. I think his income is way bigger than yours.
- polumrak, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Oh my god, you people are total morons.
- poipoipoi, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1take the money for your MOM's sake, you m@th@rf@ck@n idiot!
- AICkieran, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I find it disturbing how many people equate money with happiness, All the money or material possessions will not make you a better/more happy person, Maybe he's happy with surviving how he is now.
He probably gets his reward by knowing he did something no one else could and that it would benefit others.
Doing something ONLY because you enjoy it and that it will benefit others is much more rewarding than doing something because you want to get paid for it. And seriously, Someone that intelligent do you think that if he didn't like his lifestyle now he'd be earning a 6 figure salary? - phenolholic, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2maybe he should be a dumbass entertainer or play sports. then, he will have more money then he knows what to do with and make a real progress to advancement of mankind *sarcasm*
- MrCodeDude, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1This guy has taken self pity to a completely level. He should take the money, hire a shrink and use it to get rid of his horrible depression problems.
- gforb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5If he takes the money:
1) He would have to deal with some nasty people looking for money.
2) He would probably be badgered into appearing on some TV program designed to make him look stupid.
3) There is probably a relative who would badger him into being "successful" on *their* terms, not his.
If he doesn't take the money:
He and his mom live in (more) poverty.
Solution:
Take the money and run. Then he and mom move. Take the phone off the hook. - Fishheadswg, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0I respect the guy for what he did, but his reasons for not accepting his reasons are flawed. I think he's just being melodramatic because they kicked him out of his little math club and WANTS to be pitied.
If he had enough sense to solve a century old math problem he should have enough sense to know that he needs the money. I can't imagine what his poor mom is thinking, I'm guessing that she's chasing him aroudn the house with a frying pan as we speak.- Osjpr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Erm, his confidence or something like that seems to have been shattered by the institute. Your hyperbolic statements like "little math club" prove that you're an *****..
- cantoral, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Very interesting opinions about Dr. Perelman from the readers of digg.com. I am the last one to claim to know what is going on in his mind. He just reminds me of Ettore Majorana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettore_Majorana ).The mind is very likely the biggest mystery in our consciousness.
- cantoral, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigory_Perelman
This Wikipedia note will likely grow. - kennyvader, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1I don't really understand why there was $1m on offer for solving this problem. Everything I can find about the conjecture is highly mathematical, and just seems made up for the sake of making up a problem. Can anyone point to a nice simple explanation, and the benefit of solving it, and why it was worth $1m?
- grozny, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Lemme try to explain why even million is nothing for this work:
Without some 'highly mathematical' work being done for math analysis and diff. geometry by Hauss etc. (some 3 centuries ago) and then 'less mathematical' and 'more physical' Maxwell (by the turn of 20th century) and then even less math/more handiwork by Tesla, you'd still burn whale blubber instead of turning on switch of electric bulb.
Without 'highly mathematical' papers of Turing and von Neumann - no PC, no internet, no MP3, imagine that.
Is that worth something for you?
- grozny, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Lemme try to explain why even million is nothing for this work:
- Osjpr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2He should get out of Russia. -_-
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