Not jewish, interested in the variations amongst individuals and groups of the human race. I have worked with a number of Ashkenazi Jews in multiple fields and have been astonished at the overwhelming proportion (relative to population). There have been many cultural explanations of the phenomenon (e.g. Talmudic education) which I find unconvincing. Genetic selection supported by hundreds of years of cultural practices and socio-political constraints seems most plausible.
Q: are other populations where similar phenomena have played out?
I always think about this too (with people that decide to resort to this sort of activity..and any criminal activity in general).
The difference: you have full control over your destiny, power that you don't have to spend a decade earning..you just take it, and you don't have ask for permission.
There's also a thrill to it. Something you really don't get from a boring desk job..even for the likes of google and Facebook.
It's very similar to those amateur pedo-busting groups on Youtube. Why not just become a detective? Because you then have to go through all kinds of red tape and answer to an asshole boss when things go wrong.
Instead, you can play super hero for views and subscription numbers.
He was making $10k / month cash for one botnet client alone. Factoring in CA taxes that's $16k+ he'd have to be paid at a regular job. He was making a lot more money than that from renting it to others and other undisclosed hacks. Besides, it's not just the money.
For context L5s make 33k/mo before taxes. L7s ~66k. L8s are easily in the ~80k+ territory. The bands also get MUCH wider in L6+ land with lots of overlap.
I could maybe track down Toan, I still check in with his brother occasionally. But Brad is in the wind, tried to track him down but it seems he doesn't want to be found.
