Peter MIT Drop-Out

[Elliot]

Yes, he says elsewhere he faked his way through grad school. Why he did these things, rather than stick with the staid normal way? I think because he has serious issues with authority (no surprise there, it's the father issue again, plus he knows he is smarter than any of the officials around him, and may be dismissive of them). Stealing a degree? I had a friend in grad school who was stealing a degree in math, had invented an advisor who "signed" all his course request sheets. He needn't have, but it was I guess more fun doing it that way.
Peter had been living by his wits for a long time already before he got to college--his father had, even not counting his abuse of Peter, abandoned him (spending all his time in the lab on secret stuff, and it sounds like he was distant at home when not being abusive). So he sort of raised himself, I think. And Peter is not a "go along, get along" guy. He does what he wants, on his own terms, even if he gets himself in trouble. I think it's part of what makes for warrior status, coupled with him being 'from away'--he's just not aware of why he doesn't fit in.

[Blue Sunflower]

Yes, he says elsewhere he faked his way through grad school. Why he did these things, rather than stick with the staid normal way? I think because he has serious issues with authority (no surprise there, it's the father issue again, plus he knows he is smarter than any of the officials around him, and may be dismissive of them).

While I agree with this, I also think another reason Peter doesn't finish his education is simply because he doesn't need to. Walter mentioned Peter dropped his piano lessons fairly early on ("commitment was always your issue"), and yet he's *still* practically a master on the keyboard. Sometimes in school, the biggest troublemakers in class are the kids who are bored because they're not being challenged enough.

[Elliot]

While I agree with this, I also think another reason Peter doesn't finish his education is simply because he doesn't need to.

You're right. He managed to publish a couple of papers before they caught on to him. He has taught himself, too.

Walter mentioned Peter dropped his piano lessons fairly on ("commitment was always your issue"), and yet he's *still* practically a master on the keyboard. Sometimes in school, the biggest troublemakers in class are the kids who are bored because they're not being challenged enough.

This is true; I fell into that category, only two courses I ever took made me buckle down. By the end of grad school I was no longer a pain to my instructors--having realized I was learning more, teaching myself. Luckily I didn't have the urge to tangle with police.