Tradition of geek independence (Score 1)

Geeks have always had a tradition of valuing independent thinking and doing things, including thinking, for themselves. It's a bit like being religious without belonging to an organized religion. That's part of why geeks, even when going to college, may not graduate in a standard amount of time, or may not graduate at all. During my undergrad years many decades ago at MIT (and yes I graduated in a standard amount of time) it was not that uncommon to see perennial quasi-students who contributed to the life and culture of the institution without any semblance of traditional participation. Opting out of college altogether and going into business directly these days may not be all that different, depending how it occurs.