Being told "professional poker doesn't contribute to society."

[TruePoker CEO]

Entertainment value ? ...... Yes

Reallocation of capital and accumulation in the hands of "better" capitalists ? .... No.

[stinkypete]

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seeing as how it is taxed, it contributes.

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so if i go around stealing money from people and then pay taxes on that income, am i contributing too?

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do you honestly think that these two scenarios are analagous?

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yes. the cash flows are the same. the production is the same.

[F0rtysxity]

ENTERTAINMENT. People have already mentioned this. To be productive members of society we need to find the balance between work and play, between following the rules and breaking them in, preferrably a regulated manner.
We have understood rules that say you can't act like a fool and we abide by them during the work week but then on the weekend we get drunk and ham it up. Because we can blow off some steam on the weekend we can easily follow the 'rules' of our culture for the remainder of the time. It's how societies work well.

Poker has is an adventure and is a way to blow off some steam. I feel that part of the allure of gamblind in general is the deconstruction of our value for money. We spend so much of our time saving tupence that to throw some around, burn it, make it rain or whatever is kind of like saying it's not the most important thing out there. Our spirit and enjoyment is more important. Even though gambling is all about money it still has an irreverence towards it.

To recap: poker and gambling is a venue where people can blow off some steam, enjoy themselves which allows them to better adhere to societies norms and restrictions in our daily routine.

Of course there are some problems, GA will list em for you.

[HumbertHumbert]

Diem totally owned this thread...I get the feeling that the people arguing that professional internet poker players are the same as professional athletes who entertain millions of people are delusional. If all you internet professionals disappeared no one would miss you.

[kleath]

How many jobs actually contribute to society? How many people choose their job because of this? Its an irrelevant question because "contributing to society" is an irrelevant concern to most people.

[stinkypete]

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How many jobs actually contribute to society?

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probably like 99% of jobs. off the top of my head, i can't think of a single "real job" that doesn't contribute. examples?

[KRPI2k05]

Does it contribute to society? Probably not.

But who cares? Most people who ask me how playing poker contributes are generally doing everything they can to maximise the money they make from benefits and dodge taxes anyway.

"Oh I work as a bank clerk and make a [censored] wage and claim thousands off the state to pay for the upbringing of my four children, all of which are from different fathers, but hey, what do you contribute?"

Poker players most probably don't claim benefits like most of the working classes who do.

Maybe you are contributing by simply not taking money away from being invested in schools/healthcare etc.

When I told my mother I was playing poker, not working 9-5, and that I felt slight guilt that I didn't contribute to society (I was lying), she said "I don't care about that, most people work their jobs to get paid, not save the world".

Good point Mum.

Just my 2 cents

[stinkypete]

you're missing the whole point of the argument, and so is your mom.

and i don't understand why you all equate paying taxes with contributing to society. americans seem to think there's something patriotic about paying taxes. is that what you guys are taught in school or what?

[KRPI2k05]

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you're missing the whole point of the argument, and so is your mom.

and i don't understand why you all equate paying taxes with contributing to society. americans seem to think there's something patriotic about paying taxes. is that what you guys are taught in school or what?

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I'm not American, I'm English and thus don't pay taxes. Also I started by saying poker does not contribute to society. And, I don't believe one needs to be concerned with contributing to society as a whole as the masses are just looking out for themselves, not those around them. That was my point/opinion.

EDIT: If I am completely missing the point somehow then I apologise, I'm just trying so say that I don't see the need to justify playing poker instead of being doctor/soldier etc.

[Thremp]

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you're missing the whole point of the argument, and so is your mom.

and i don't understand why you all equate paying taxes with contributing to society. americans seem to think there's something patriotic about paying taxes. is that what you guys are taught in school or what?

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The tax argument is ridiculous, but to say poker players don't "contribute" (whatever the [censored] that means) is equally ridiculous. People derive utility from the mere act of existing in society. Economic productivity doesn't even need to be considered. When two people speak, no money has changed hands, but assuming both people enjoyed (or found utility) society still benefited.