vpFREE2 Forums

VP as a job, was Re: Circus Circus video blackjack

#1

I partially disagree.

The pro's (and other serious players, not necessarily pros) friends and
relatives benefit from all the free stuff (gift cards, food, rooms, casino gifts,
and lots of other things) that he accrues through his normal play. At least
in my case, since I give away almost all of the comps I earn.

The pro might also support, or help support, his family. Does this not count
as benefiting someone else?

Certainly, there are some players who keep or sell everything they earn, but
they are in the minority.

Brian

···

=======================================

In a message dated 9/24/2007 12:49:13 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
sresnick2@comcast.net writes:

A job as a video poker pro seems somewhat different, in that there's
no one but the pro himself who's benefitting. (It's different if the
pro shares information, freely or for a price. But simply finding and
exploiting positive VP opportunity for oneself benefits no one but
oneself.) I don't disrespect this job; as a free-market libertarian,
I happily tolerate anyone supporting themselves in any way that
doesn't involve deception or violence.

************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

BJayGold....I believe randomstu was talking about the benefit to
society; not the benefit to friends and family. Video Poker does
not add to the productivity or GDP of the United States. It simply
is a tool for redistributing wealth. I have no problem with that;
heck, I benefit from that redistribution myself. However, I do have
a problem with the attitude of entitlement that many pros have. If
all pros fell off the face of the earth tomorrow, the standard of
living would not go down one iota in the United States. This
Darwinian attitude conflated with a sense of entitlement is what
makes me nauseous sometimes.

I partially disagree.

The pro's (and other serious players, not necessarily pros)

friends and

relatives benefit from all the free stuff (gift cards, food,

rooms, casino gifts,

and lots of other things) that he accrues through his normal

play. At least

in my case, since I give away almost all of the comps I earn.

The pro might also support, or help support, his family. Does this

not count

as benefiting someone else?

Certainly, there are some players who keep or sell everything they

earn, but

they are in the minority.

Brian

=======================================

In a message dated 9/24/2007 12:49:13 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
sresnick2@... writes:

A job as a video poker pro seems somewhat different, in that

there's

no one but the pro himself who's benefitting. (It's different if

the

pro shares information, freely or for a price. But simply finding

and

exploiting positive VP opportunity for oneself benefits no one

but

oneself.) I don't disrespect this job; as a free-market

libertarian,

I happily tolerate anyone supporting themselves in any way that
doesn't involve deception or violence.

************************************** See what's new at

http://www.aol.com

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, bjaygold@... wrote:

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#3

bjaygold@... wrote:

The pro might also support, or help support, his family. Does this not
count as benefiting someone else?

Sure, no matter how anyone makes their money, they may afterwards
share it with people or causes they like and care about. That's a good
thing, and it's independent of the nature of the job.

What I was thinking of is a little different. Most of us do jobs in which
the very process of earning our money benefits those people who make
the job possible. I provide skills that are useful to my employer, fellow
employees, and customers. They're all motivated to *want* me to
continue to have this job; this has the practical effect of helping to
keep my livelihood secure.

This means there isn't hidden information that'd threaten my job. I also
find some beauty in the fact that doing my job not only helps me, and
the people I like (when I share my gains with them). It also helps all
these business associates who I don't necessarily like personally. I may
find them irritating or annoying, and yet *still* I'm helping them. Ahhh,
the beauty of capitalism.

Stuart (RandomStu)
http://home.comcast.net/~sresnick2/fungames.htm
http://stuart-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/