Comment by Ericson2314
2 days ago
Grothendieck ended up totally crazy too, unfortunately. Some people might be truthers that his final writings would be made sense of someday, but I don't think that is a responsible hope to carry.
The idea that Grothendieck both massively succeeded and failed in some sort of countercultural/neurodivergent knife edge is I think the ambiguous but correct morality tale.
The most gifted scientists are of one of two flavors, seemingly: Completely lucid and exuberant well into their elderly years, or strange and secluded even in their better years.