Is poker an ethical way to make a living?

[XChamp]

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There are more ways to provide to society than just what your job is.

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In general, this is wrong. If you're not getting paid for it, then society doesn't value it. Obviously, there are some exceptions, but they are few and far between (Also, note that you can get "paid" in things other than money - but again, this is a rare case).

Is poker an ethical way to make a living? Inherently, it's neither ethical nor unethical. It depends on the player.

A more interesting question (which above posters are digging at) is "does a professional poker player contribute to society?" The only meaningful way to answer this is to determine of playing poker contributes to GDP. I'm not convinced either way, but the answer is probably "no." In any case, it doesn't really matter, as any individual poker player's GDP contribution will always be near zero (relatively), because playing poker can never create massive amounts of wealth (e.g. you don't have any product you can export).

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So clergymen and musicians contribute nothing to society too? What about my retired grandparents?

[darydarling]

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There are more ways to provide to society than just what your job is.

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In general, this is wrong.

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No, sorry it's 100% right.

[QuadsOverQuads]

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Does the professional poker player provide anything to society?

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Second question: does it matter?


q/q

[tylerdurden]

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So clergymen and musicians contribute nothing to society too? What about my retired grandparents?

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As for clergy, like I said, there are some exceptions. But note that people DO pay clergy, or pay their churches to support them. They provide a service that people pay for (even if there isn't a fixed price attached to it).

Musicians (good ones at least) obviously contribute to GDP. Especially those signed to recording labels. I assume you're referring to the streetcorner musician who works for tips, though. If the guy doesn't make any tips, it's because society doesn't value his work. If he does, then that's +GDP. He's performing a service that people pay for.

Your retired grandparents are *retired* - they're living off of the wealth they generated by previous contributions to society.

[Awesemo]

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Does the professional poker player provide anything to society?

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Only if they pay taxes on their winnings.

[PairTheBoard]

Does the professional poker player provide anything to society?

Awesemo:"Only if they pay taxes on their winnings."

I would also add, when they support a family with the winnings - especially when poker is practically the only way they can make such a living. One player I have in mind is Scotty Nguen who explains how he supports a huge extended family. I doubt Scotty could make such a living any other way.

Those deeply troubled by such ethical concerns may well find greater happinnes pursuing a more conventional productive carreer. I have a formerly successful poker playing friend who quit the game for just such reasons. For those like him I think the "entertainment value" argument rings hollow.

I feel like Poker is just something people do. Although I've considered the ethical questions I just can't feel too bothered by them. Especially since I consider participating in this popular cultural activity to be a neccesity for me.

PairTheBoard

[EliteNinja]

More ethical than car salesmen, insurance salesmen, and lawyers. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[EliteNinja]

Oh and not to mention Pyramid Scheme Peddlers. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Lawrence Ng]

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I'm not a professional player I only play recreationally, however I am of the opinion I could care less if people think it's ethical or not just based upon the profession.
I live here in Vegas and have the pleasure of knowing a lot of poker players some who are pros and in the groups I hang with I have never met a better class of people.
And for so called reputable businessmen, professions and people...let's take a look at how some of that has worked out.
Enron.
Lincoln Savings and Loan.
Arthur Anderson, And Company.
WorldCom
History is filled with such stories but in the business world those stories are like cockroaches in the light.
If you see 1 there are a 1,000 hiding.
We are in a business where we are not stealing anyone's money, people make a choice to come and play and understand the risks even if they don't understand the game...because they come to "gamble."


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Good post.

Lawrence

[Huhmare]

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You forgot something.

Poker is also a learning tool. The game teaches people the nature of risk, probability, statistics, general math, psychology, the importance of discipline and hard work, adn a bunch of other stuff I am forgetting.

I also think it builds character. I am a much more even-tempered person now because of poker. I no longer have fits of rage because of "bad beats" that life deals to me. That used to be a problem for me.

I have learned a tremendous amount because of this game and I know others have as well.

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So true. I see clear changes in my personality after I started playing poker. Nowadays I don't smash my keyboard anymore when a bad beat occurs. I just say "nh" and continue. Poker teaches you that anything is possible when it's about probabilities.