[longshadow]

Try contrasting the following quote with what your interlocutor has stated:

"Mathematics is a game played according to certain simple rules with meaningless marks on paper."

It is an exercise for the reader to ascertain which statement, and author, has more credibility.

[Right Wing Professor]

Great quote. Now Hilbert was a mathematician who knew how to be useful!

[AmishDude]

I'm sorry, has etiquette changed around here and nobody told me?

[Doctor Stochastic]

When I was in grad school, it was common among the various Communist (Stalinists, Trots, Maoists, Pseudo-Anarchists, Christian Socialists, Syndics, etc.) groups to talk about who should be killed first After The Revolution. They were in agreement that the Applied Mathematicians should be killed first but the Pure Mathematicians should be spared. (Applied Mathematicians were Caplitalist Lackeys, but Pure Mathematicians did if for the Glory Of Marx or Mao.)

One rather noted elderly (but younger than I am now) pure mathematician pointed out that the guy who solves Riemann's Conjecture will make lots of money, be hired anywhere desired, etc. On the other hand, some guy who computes how to save an airplane 1% in gas milage won't get much honor, (or even a bonus perhaps), but this will do more for society (in the sense of saving resources) than solving Riemann's Conjecture.