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12-19-2005, 12:50 AM
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#1 (permalink) |
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SBR Hall of Famer
Join Date: 08-10-05
Location: Gambling Forums
Posts: 6,718
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do professional gamblers contribute anything to society?
can anyone think of anything??? :0000026:
__________________
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently." - Nietzsche |
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12-19-2005, 01:14 AM
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#4 (permalink) |
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SBR MVP
Join Date: 10-06-05
Location: Midwest, USA. Go Packers, Colts.
Posts: 3,020
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This has been handled to death over on 2+2, but let's do it here.
I agree with raiders, that if you raise your kids, pay your bills, etc, you are doing your job. Nobody says you have to be a doctor or humanitarian or whatever. How about lawyers, what do they really "contribute"? How about politicians? We can get pretty deep pretty quick, if you really want that. The best argument I've heard, is that gamblers are essentially "entertainers". They are part of the fabric of the entertainment industry. Think about the "losers" in the gambling world. What are the "getting" for their dollar? Entertainment! They watch the game, bet and lose, or push the chips into the pot, bet and lose, and take away an experience. Professional gamblers are the ones pulling in the pots, or winning the bets. Casinos, online or otherwise, are the ones taking the grease or rake, whatever it might be. Professional gamblers are really just a miniature casino, if you think about it: they take action and pay winners. The deeper question is maybe whether entertainment needs to be so central to our culture. Does Schwartzenegger really need $50 million to shoot his next action film? Does Favre really need $8 million a year to play a GAME? We live in a capitalistic society, so whatever people are willing to pay for, they'll get. It seems we're willing to pay quite a bit to be entertained. |
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12-19-2005, 01:38 AM
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#6 (permalink) |
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SBR MVP
Join Date: 12-16-05
Posts: 4,143
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Entertainment is a core component in achieving self-actualization. While I would wager (if I had a bonus to play through) that most people aren't actually capable of that perception, it does not make it any less valuable from an individual or social standpoint. A society that values "entertainment" is one that gives more individuals opportunity to be self-actualized, therefore a professional gamblers contribution to society is indeed significant, although the greater portion of significance my be individual.
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12-19-2005, 12:59 PM
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#7 (permalink) |
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SBR Sharp
Join Date: 08-21-05
Posts: 427
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i agree with raiders about the children and living a decent life but gambling is a zero sum game, nothing is produced out of it other than a loss for one and a gain for another. I really don't know much about philosophy/sociology but i would argue that people need stability in their lives even more than they need entertainment. If this is the case, professional gamblers are just feeding off of another human's weakness which can ultimately destroy his life. im kinda sadistic i suppose
in regards to self actualization are you talking about Maslow's theory? if so i guess you could say that a pro gambler is satisfying another's self fulfillment, however for most it is a short sighted fulfillment which often leaves someone in a worse state than when they started i.e. the joy of having "action" on a monday night football game, to the anger or compulsiveness he may revert to if he loses. slacker, when someone pays for entertainment (like buying a movie ticket) they usually don't feel compelled to buy 5 more tickets like a losing sports bettor does. it's parasitic in essence. and when you pay for real entertainment they don't tantalize people buy saying you might have a chance to win more money if you're lucky, its deception in its finest more profitable forms Last edited by newb411breaker19 : 12-19-2005 at 01:13 PM. |
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12-19-2005, 01:11 PM
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#8 (permalink) |
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SBR MVP
Join Date: 08-12-05
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,432
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I gave up my dream of bein meth dealer and professonal hitman to be a gambler. Thank you uncle Mo and vegas.
__________________
"Hey Brick, C-R-E-D-I-T. That is how you spell it. I can't really respect the opinion of someone that cannot even spell a 5 letter word." - Johnny W, owner of BetOnStars |
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12-19-2005, 07:08 PM
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#12 (permalink) | |
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SBR MVP
Join Date: 10-06-05
Location: Midwest, USA. Go Packers, Colts.
Posts: 3,020
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Quote:
That said, gambling addiction can turn into a very real disease just as real as alcohol addiction or nicotine addiction. There are people with real problems, and these problems need to be addressed by the gambling establishment in general. The truth is somewhere in between. But, you'd be hard pressed to convince me that gambling is more harmful to society as a whole than alcohol. |
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12-20-2005, 03:31 PM
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#14 (permalink) | |
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SBR Wise Guy
Join Date: 10-23-05
Posts: 628
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Quote:
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12-20-2005, 11:07 PM
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#16 (permalink) |
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SBR
Join Date: 11-16-05
Location:
Posts: 18,143
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Yes Professional Gamblers contribute to society immensely!! Professional
Gamblers create jobs(casinos,sportsbooks,race track etc)Don't get in the way of someone else looking 4 a job.Take half of the pro gamblers away There will be longer lines at the employment office,Less demand for casino employees.Which is a double-whammy. Pro Gamblers pay as much in taxes as the next person. When They Go out and buy a 99 cent burger they pay $1.07 also. |
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