Posted August 7, 2018 Poker was sole my job from 2007 to 2014. While it's not unethical for the reasons others mentionned, it's a very stage orange activity. May it be online or live, you have to deal with some of the most shallow/unconscious people on the planet. Therefore, it's an environment that can easily corrupt your values and drain your life energy. Just like wallstreet speculators, poker players don't provide any real value to society. They serve the ego, not the truth. And for that reason alone, I think playing poker for a living is a great way to waste one's precious life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) @Time Traveler maybe it is unethical, maybe it is not unethical. Wherever your gut and "higher self" is guiding you just go for it, nothing else really matters. I suppose that the ethical standing of poker can be conceptualised as orange vs green ways of thinking. But both stances are equally subjective at the end of the day. I pretty much agree with ajasatya here. In an ideal world, people should be prepared to lose what they put up in poker and not let it effect them badly. But we all know that humans are not like that, they get addicted. I find playing poker to be occasionally fun, but I find it boring if it play it for too long and so I would question people who claim that poker gives them passion and meaning in life. Play poker for money if you want to, I personally think that you might want to do something in addiction to that to give you meaning. Edited August 7, 2018 by lmfao Hark ye yet again — the little lower layer. All visible objects, man, are but as pasteboard masks. But in each event — in the living act, the undoubted deed — there, some unknown but still reasoning thing puts forth the mouldings of its features from behind the unreasoning mask. If man will strike, strike through the mask! How can the prisoner reach outside except by thrusting through the wall? To me, the white whale is that wall, shoved near to me. Sometimes I think there's naught beyond. But 'tis enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) I'm a poker player at the moment but trying to change that. Don't wan't to be miserable all my life I feel it's empty. Boring. Same shit every day. Lonely. Meaningless because there is no contribution there. Not that "scalable" either for most people if that's the right word. People might say "but playing poker is fun". Yeah it can be if you play once in a while or when you feel like it. But try playing full time. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Then we'll talk Even if you become a winner it's not like you just sit and win every day, lol. But I guess some people really are passionate and love the game. But even some top pros who makes insane amounts of money have decided to quit and do something else. I know the question was more about the ethical side but just want to throw this out there so people think twice. Edited August 7, 2018 by sgn "Maybe aliens is sitting somewhere up there looking at this at like a video feed and jerking off to it. You don't know!" - Leo Gura, 2018 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 7, 2018 24 minutes ago, sgn said: I'm a poker player at the moment but trying to change that. Don't wan't to be miserable all my life I feel it's empty. Boring. Same shit every day. Lonely. Meaningless because there is no contribution there. Not that "scalable" either for most people if that's the right word. People might say "but playing poker is fun". Yeah it can be if you play once in a while or when you feel like it. But try playing full time. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Then we'll talk Even if you become a winner it's not like you just sit and win every day, lol. But I guess some people really are passionate and love the game. But even some top pros who makes insane amounts of money have decided to quit and do something else. I know the question was more about the ethical side but just want to throw this out there so people think twice. Bro, start playing the great game of Pot-Limit Omaha and you'll never get bored! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 7, 2018 @iluminado Haha. No I'm good lol That's a crazy game. "Maybe aliens is sitting somewhere up there looking at this at like a video feed and jerking off to it. You don't know!" - Leo Gura, 2018 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 18, 2018 On 8/8/2018 at 2:21 AM, sgn said: But try playing full time. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Then we'll talk Even if you become a winner it's not like you just sit and win every day, lol. Isn't that true for every sport ? Tennis, football, ... you call it ? I've wondered about top level athletes how they can endure that boring training process ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 18, 2018 I don't think it is unethical at all. If you can make a living out of it then great. But I have had friends who are into gambling and unfortunately it didn't end well for them. You easily can get hooked and destroyed if you are a certain type of person, so I'd say be cautious of that. But if you do it well and are aware of the dangers and don't get caught up in anger and other negative emotions then good on you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 18, 2018 (edited) The elite players are simply in love with their craft and don't care much about results. They find tremendous satisfaction in getting slightly better everyday. They walk the path of mastery. Anyone who plays poker for the money is pretty much destined to be unfulfilled and a marginal winner. Edited August 18, 2018 by martin_malin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) I played for a living (although admittedly a fairly meagre one) from 2005-2010. Poker was a lot easier to make money from back then thats for sure! Interesting to see a bunch of people who have played for a living on this thread. Ethically I see it as a bit of a grey area so I suppose it isn't very ethical. Yes people are playing by choice to some extent but what if they are addicted? We are then taking money from addicted self destructive people. People who may be fathers and so are depriving their kids of their time and money. We could say that isnt our problem and that person would play regardless of whether we are at the table or not but we are still part of the ecosystem, a little like a leech. The big problem I ended up having with the game (and most games in general) was that it simply doesn't create anything. Once a hand or game is over, its done, nothing was made, nothing was created, nothing was helped. It all became very empty and pointless to me. The flipside to that would be if you mastered the game so completely that you earned millions. You could then use that money to help people and do good in the world. For example Barry Greenstein donates all his poker tournament winnings to charity. But if we are only earning enough for ourselves, then I discovered it is a very empty existence. There is mastery in poker for sure but earning enough so that you have tons left over to do good with is like becoming a premier league footballer or playing in the NFL. It can be done but its extremely difficult and you have to genuinely love it. This video sums it up good Edited March 20, 2019 by still_no_satori Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 20, 2019 @Time Traveler A worthy question!! You have insight to ask this. Check within yourself for any rescuer codependency issues with robbing from other players. You could try a Robin Hood mentality; win thousands and donate 80% of it to a cause you feel inspired toward. Apart from this I dont have any clue, and I am equally fascinated by this question as you are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 15, 2020 (edited) Why isn't it ethical? I think it's common practice for you to win money by taking it from others. Someone weaker in the game, someone stronger. Often playing poker, blackjack, and other gambling at online casinos. I try to use the privileges that you can find here with information about online casino welcome bonus without deposit. Each game requires maximum concentration in order to get the desired win and leave with a victory. I do not like to lose, not because I am afraid of losing money, but because my self-esteem drops, and then I go for a long time upset. Edited July 16, 2020 by Matthew Wilson Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 18, 2020 Locked: This is an old thread that is attracting spambots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
