Schopenhauer's Disciples

When I wake up in the morning with bad feelings over memories of feeling rejected and generally hated upon by so many strangers in my "hometown," I realize why I would prefer not to waste one more minute worrying over what other people think of me, and to just ignore these feelings and retreat into mathematics.

Again, it has a lot to do with a kind of revenge.  To be too engrossed in study to give a shiit about one's reputation.