I actually enjoyed the comments more than the article. Not that I disagreed with everything the author had to say, I just think he spends too much time rhetorically splitting hairs.
"It isn't exactly wrong to say that Terry Tao and other former prodigies like him are geniuses. But it is more accurate to say that what they accomplished was genius." and "Most child prodigies are highly successful—but most highly successful people weren't child prodigies."
I'm uncertain as to whether he harbors some strange guilt about his lot in life, but with pronouncements like the above, he sure is trying to minimize the value and/or role of the genius.
I've seen that quote by Twain on occasion, and it always irritates me. There's another line from that source, rarely included, that seems to belittle the person ultimately credited with a given accomplishment: "He added his little mite--that is all he did." Ugh.
But I do agree with the bit about needing more mathy doctors, CEOs, teachers, etc.
