passing comment: Professional poker player

[Carl_William]

Some passing comments:

Don’t be ashamed to say I am a professional poker player. They are lots of professions where much more shame should be attached to it.

Over the years from time to time, I have come across situations in various environments (social parties, casinos, television interviews, Internet chat lines) where people who when ask what they do for a living, have said: “I am a professional poker player.” In certain situations such as at a social party at a home, this statement: “I am a professional poker player,” can have a negative social stigma associated with it. I am not a pro poker player, but I know I would be embarrassed to say that in the social circle of my friends and relatives (I will not go into the reason for this feeling of mine for obvious reasons). What I want to say is and my point is….

There are many occupations which should have a much more negative stigma associated with it then being a professional poker player. Sadly, in my opinion, that is not the way current thinking in America is. One sad occupation is an insurance agent (salesman) who specializes in whole life insurance products. In my opinion, whole life insurance is a terrible investment.

Recently a grand nephew of mine graduated in 2001 from a major Big Ten University (from a football perspective), and finally got a job as an insurance agent with a nation wide insurance and brokerage company with headquarters in Milwaukee. This company specializes in whole life insurance (hybrid policies) and annuities amongst other things. The young agents working for this company are initially taught only one thing:

Sell whole life policy to relatives and friends.

My great nephew proceeded to non-stop harass a niece of mine who was a recent widow with two young sons (aged 6 and 11). He went after every account my niece had (IRA, 401[k], savings, and life insurance. I won’t go into details, but he ripped her off for about $8000 the first year.

After about 3 to5 years, 85% of these young insurance agents realize they are ripping off people (including friends and relatives) and go to work for a respectable insurance company or go into another profession. They realize that whole life insurance and annuities are usually poor investments for most people. My bottom line point is….

As long as you are an honest poker player – don’t be embarrassed to mention it in a social setting, if somebody asked you what your profession is.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Poker player is a fine profession.

The ones that really make me sick (other than insurance salesman) are ...

Police officer (the police syndicate is really just state sanctioned organized crime. why would someone take a mediocre paying job where you can get shot if they weren't corrupt?).

Judge (i.e. backdoor $$ taker)

District attorney / prosecutor (i.e. they should all be shot)

catholic priest / southern baptist preacher (i.e. child molestors / employers of hookers)

car salesman / auto dealer service manager (i.e. crooks)

al

[blackaces13]

[ QUOTE ]
Police officer (the police syndicate is really just state sanctioned organized crime. why would someone take a mediocre paying job where you can get shot if they weren't corrupt?).



[/ QUOTE ]

Not all cops are bad. Some of them are, most of them aren't. I think your views are biased and way too sweeping. A lot of cops are decent people just trying to make an honest living while at least trying to feel like they're doing some good on some level. Or at least that's probably why most of them took the job in the first place.

Why do people take jobs in the military for terrible pay when they can be shot? Circumstances, duty, the hope that it will be a means to achieve things in the future. Not everyone in any job is corrupt. People putting their safety on the line in service of others shouldn't be summarily dismissed or looked down upon. Whether or not they choose to serve with honor is a coice they make. For you to simply assume they all choose to be crooked is wrong.

[Rooster71]

I am not a pro player (or anywhere near it), but I do know that a great many people who fill the so-called "prestigious" jobs are the lowest form of life imaginable (namely attorneys). The whole idea in this country of what is a "good" line of work is so backwards it's pathetic.

When compared to someone who works as an attorney, the average Joe Public would look down on someone who is a professional poker player. But the professional poker player makes a living by playing an honest game against willing participants, while the attorney makes a living by screwing people in the name of "legal representation."

[Al_Capone_Junior]

You're right. I should have said "vast majority." I know two who had those humanistic notions, and once they saw the reality of the "force" they quit cuz they couldn't stand all the corruption.

There are a few who perhaps have some sort of decent motives and choose to remain, in spite of widespread corruption. But my cousin is one of those and I still don't like him or the way he does his job or conducts his life. Typical "power tripper." Typical cop. There's a very good reason that cops are referred to as pigs.

I consider the military a completely different category altogether.

al

[Dan Mezick]

Poker is magnificent because it is honest. For example look up 'cheating' in the dictionary. Alot of poker behavior is suggested: lying, deception, etc. The reality is, in poker cheating is when you have access to information that others don't, and you use it. For example when you collude, or stack the deck.

A poker game and all the players assume deception, and deceptive behavior is INTEGRAL to winning the game.

Think about it. That makes poker an utterly honest game, in the most blunt terms possible.

This is also the characteristic that makes it utterly magnificent.

Do I love poker? Yes.

Do I need therapy?

Al will have to weigh in on that.

[Al Schoonmaker]

A famous poker player whose name escapes me once said that he had to choose between playing poker and practicing law. He chose the more honorable profession.
Regards,
Al

[Al Schoonmaker]

Because I am not trained as a therapist, I would not diagnose anyone.
In addition, as Bigbaitsim, who is a trained therapist, noted in another thread, no competent therapist makes a diagnosis without careful examination.
Regards,
Al

[scalf]

[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] lol

that could also be said of the raining champ...the fossil

lol

gl al

[img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

[daryn]

you seem to generalize a lot. the way you describe things are not how things usually are methinks.