Value of the "profession," bereft?

[Cyndie]

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...;o=14&vc=1

There is a similar thread in the zoo...cubswin and several have expressed remorse over being "just" pokerplayers. The comments in the thread may be interesting...since Dr. Al is doing very well with poker books...I am making more playing poker than I did as a school teacher.

However, like Dr. Al, it isn't "JUST" poker. Ancillary services can build a career, and the entertainment industry is probably still one of the biggest growth industries...and one of the more satisfying intellectually for human beings.

I have never understood why pushing a pencil or a calculator and doing repetetive tasks was considered "real" work, when exercising one's mind playing poker was considered a waste of someone's time!

[CrisBrown]

Hi milo,

My first job is writing novels. I contribute very little to society in that regard. At the end product, people pay $8.95 (or so) for a few hours' entertainment and escapism, and I make no apologies for that. I don't write to change the world, broaden anyone's horizons, make someone think or think in a particular way, or "have something to say." (If I do, I write a letter to the editor at my newspaper.) I'm a useless (but well-paid) artist.

So I really don't have trouble also being a useless (but reasonably well-paid) poker player.

Cris

[Lawrence Ng]

Hi Milo,

True enough, poker "income" directly provides no social value/service.

But then again, it's not the income or money from poker that that provides the service - it's the person itself who must come forth to provide the service.

Like many two-plus-two'ers here, I believe I have been given a talent to play this game well.

So I always give a little back. There are some wonderful local charities where I donate a percentage of my yearly winnings. I also help my friend who's a single mom struggling to raise her child.

So my my single mom friend sure doesn't think my poker playing is of no social redeeming value. And I don't think the charity minds either.

Call me superstitious or whatever, but I was always taught from my parents to always help others out if needed and if I was fortunate enough to. Poker is an unforgiving, selfish, ruthless game of literally taking money from dumber players. Perhaps down in my conscience and soul I just feel the need to redeem some sort of strange guilt by helping others out with the money I make.

I have learned to do what I feel is right and not what people think is right. I have learned to isolate their thoughts because they don't know who I am and what I do really. It helps.

Anyways, I still get receipts for the donations so I write them off on my taxes. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

You know, I've seen professional poker players on TV. Can't see anyt of them getting 20,000 women (or even 20) to sleep with them.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

that's cuz the best lookin' poker players still aint THAT good looking. And they don't have the fame of athletes either.

al

[onegymrat]

Hi Lawrence

[ QUOTE ]
I also help my friend who's a single mom struggling to raise her child.

[/ QUOTE ]That's not child support, is it?

[Lawrence Ng]

LOL onegymrat,

No woman would ever want to marry me..I'm too much a poker junkie. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[FredJones888]

you could say the same thing about many professions that exist in todays service economy. Stock traders for example are no different at all because they aren't "investors", they just make money on short term price movement that means nothing over time and benefits themelves but not society.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

See, I disagree. By creating additional trading opportunities for the "real" investors, traders add a degree of liquidity to the market that adds to the overall value. Increasing transactional velocity and liquidity does have a downstream economic value.

This is where socialism misses the point (not accusing you of being a socialist). The "middle-man", the broker, is a key component of the synergy that creates overall economic value in a mercantile society.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

True enough, poker "income" directly provides no social value/service.

Not true. Poker profit spends and invests as well as any other profit. That spending and investing is good for "society."