Poker = A legitimate profession - Help me PROVE please?

[fraac]

Yeah, it's a great book. I got the Taleb quote from the foreword.

[NMcNasty]

Pay your taxes and give a little to charity and your problem is solved. You're taking money from people who don't need it so much and giving at least some percentage of that to people who do. I don't think you can ever call poker a legitimate profession, but it can be beneficial to society. I thought to myself that maybe I should do volunteer work to show that I'm directly contributing to society, but its actually a lot more generous of me to play 4 hours of poker where 25% of my winnings are taxed and maybe 3% I give to charity than to work 4 hours at a soup kitchen where the sum of my labor is probably only worth about $20.

Oh and LOL at people that say you play poker as an "entertainer". People don't donate at poker tables in exchange for the personal charm of other players. Thats one of the most ridiculous concepts I've ever heard [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

[jeffnc]

Two books might be useful.
- Poker MBA
http://www.amazon.com/Poker-MBA-Winn.../dp/0609609866
- How to Turn Your Poker Playing into a Business
http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Poker-Pl...8163&sr=1-1

The latter really only has to do with taxes, but if your family member doesn't actually read it, it might make an impression just laying on the coffee table.

While playing poker is actually quite a bit like being a professional golfer, a much better analogy that most people will be able to grasp is that it's quite a bit like being a stock trader or other money investor.

[omaha]

There was an interesting thread on the psychology forum a couple of months ago.

With regards to 'gamblers contribute nothing' i take to be complete crud.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, lets see, were any jobs created in planning, designing, and constructing the casino? Maybe a little concrete was bought? How about some paint? And did the gamblers provide a few jobs to the lightbulb manufacturers? Im pretty sure a builder or three was needed at some stage, maybe a plasterer or two as well.

And the service factor. Last time i went to the casino, PEOPLE were employed there. Yes, they deal the cards, sweep the floors, and serve up the food.

Entertainers fill up their shows more easily, due to the huge crowd

If u think that this is nothing, I truly believe you are a total and utter moron

Come to think of it, you must be halfway there to suggest it in the first place

Yes, there is a massive problem with gambling in the community (my particular beef is with poker machines, and the massive promotion of them by the clubs, which target the most vulnerable -and stupid- members of our society) I think the social problems it causes are huge, and vastly outweigh the minimal jobs and multimillion dollar profits for Aristocrat (the manufacturer)

[fraac]

I can see you've thought about it.

[NickMPK]

[ QUOTE ]
There was an interesting thread on the psychology forum a couple of months ago.

With regards to 'gamblers contribute nothing' i take to be complete crud.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, lets see, were any jobs created in planning, designing, and constructing the casino? Maybe a little concrete was bought? How about some paint? And did the gamblers provide a few jobs to the lightbulb manufacturers? Im pretty sure a builder or three was needed at some stage, maybe a plasterer or two as well.

And the service factor. Last time i went to the casino, PEOPLE were employed there. Yes, they deal the cards, sweep the floors, and serve up the food.

Entertainers fill up their shows more easily, due to the huge crowd

If u think that this is nothing, I truly believe you are a total and utter moron

Come to think of it, you must be halfway there to suggest it in the first place

Yes, there is a massive problem with gambling in the community (my particular beef is with poker machines, and the massive promotion of them by the clubs, which target the most vulnerable -and stupid- members of our society) I think the social problems it causes are huge, and vastly outweigh the minimal jobs and multimillion dollar profits for Aristocrat (the manufacturer)

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, of course gamblers consume. They just don't produce anything. Under your argument, people on welfare are productive citizens because they spend their welfare checks at restraurants and stores that employ people.

[deepdowntruth]

Stop worrying what other people think and live as you see fit.

[Cactus Jack]

If you're letting someone else live your life, it's not YOUR life. And it's the only one you'll ever get.

"Most men lead quiet lives of desperation." Life is meant to be lived all in.

[BigAlK]

[ QUOTE ]
Life is meant to be lived all in.

[/ QUOTE ]

Words to live by, nh CJ

[JJay1231]

[ QUOTE ]
Pay your taxes and give a little to charity and your problem is solved. You're taking money from people who don't need it so much and giving at least some percentage of that to people who do. I don't think you can ever call poker a legitimate profession, but it can be beneficial to society. I thought to myself that maybe I should do volunteer work to show that I'm directly contributing to society, but its actually a lot more generous of me to play 4 hours of poker where 25% of my winnings are taxed and maybe 3% I give to charity than to work 4 hours at a soup kitchen where the sum of my labor is probably only worth about $20.

Oh and LOL at people that say you play poker as an "entertainer". People don't donate at poker tables in exchange for the personal charm of other players. Thats one of the most ridiculous concepts I've ever heard [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

[/ QUOTE ]

excellent post.
There are a lot of professional share traders/ investors who also struggled with the idea that they aren't actually contributing anything to society, so they also went along with donating a part of all their profits to charity.