Quote:
Originally Posted by Username^^
What this supose to mean ?
Basically, It's just a little saying I devised one night while upset with the actions of a couple acquaintances. I used to live in an urban, multi-racial community. There was a bohemian-style cafe that seemed to attract just about every conceivable ethnic group. I was pretty generous when it came to buying coffee for strangers or giving the homeless a few dollars for a drink.
Anyway, there were a couple of recent Somali immigrants that I had befriended. I would frequently, but not always, buy them coffee and tea. I even paid their entrance fees to a night club that was a hot spot with people from the Middle East. On top of that, I bought them beers on a few occasions (I don't drink).
Usually, they were not very demanding and I was the one offering. This arrangement was acceptable and if I didn't like it, I could have walked away. Over time, they started to act as though coffee, beer, food and other niceties were an entitlement. They would start ordering items without my knowledge and then the cashier would surprise me after ringing up my sale.
Well, one night I was in line to get a refill on my coffee when these two jokers appeared out of nowhere. One of the jackyls remarked, "There's our man!" They poured themselves a large coffee without paying for it and told the clerk that I had their back. I grabbed one of the freeloaders coffee cups and poured the contents into the drain. Almost spontaneously I exclaimed, "Don't piss in the well that quenches your thirst." Perhaps my expression seemed more natural given what they had told me about their experiences in Somalia and noticing the nuances in how they communicated (e.g. sometimes using parables).
Basically, this expression is about curbing your desires so that you always have a meal instead of just a few feasts. Let me relate this to online poker. When a skilled player berates an inferior player (e.g. fish), they are disrespecting and discouraging the source of their good fortune. It's as though they think they're entitled to their money by virtue of their superior skills. They are so consumed by greed they develop an entitlement mentality. It's not rational to insult the source of good fortune. The wise player would want to encourage poorly-skilled players to play at his or her table.
The otherwise skilled player who berates the 'fish' for catching a miracle card and taking down an occassional pot is "pissing in the well that quenches his thirst." The rational course of action would be to show gratitude and encourage this player to keep playing. Instead of saying "you suck" or "you're a total fish," try "nice job" or "well-played."
Jeff Oneye "Don't piss in the well that quenches your thirst."
Unknown proverb- “Greed is like a sea water; the more you drink the thirstier you get.”