mathematicians, in popular culture: Pfft. What folly it is, irrationality. Superstition shall crumble before the iron fist of mathematics, and imperfection crushed under its thumb.
mathematicians, in real life: the 2010 Fields Medalist always wears a spider on his lapel; the reason he does this is a closely guarded secret. John Napier apparently had a familiar spirit and it wasn't even the spider he allegedly kept in a box that traveled around with him.
