[kcoddington]

I wonder if it's because art and literature are better at teaching one how to think in and derive abstractions from more complex ideas. Math should most definitely do this as well, but I don't think is taught that way. Most of the time is spent in math classes are on procedural practice and connecting that work to think about it in an abstract way happens infrequently.

[graemep]

I think you are right. One reason is that people are first taught maths in primary schools where most teachers are generalists who like art and literature, but dislike maths. People start by regarding maths as a chore forced on them, so never enjoy it, and the rest follows from that.