I completely disagree with this...

1a) Being great at something is a benefit to society in itself, although what you are great at also has an impact on society that can be > or < than the impact of your greatness. E.g. Hitler was great at gaining followers and murdering people. He was an excellent example (positive impact) on the ability to lead, manipulate, and control people and situations. However, I would rate Hitler as one of the most detrimental people in history to society because of WHAT he was great at and HOW he used that greatness because the negative impact on society was so much worse for society than the positive impact on society his determination, leadership, success in achieving his goals, etc was.

1b) Other people, athletes being a great example, are exceptional models of some great life qualities even though WHAT they use them could be considered unimportant or trivial by man.

1c) Finally, such as Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein who had a positive impact on society by being great examples of good qualities like leadership, success, etc. AND also impacted society in a positive way with the WHAT they did with those qualities.

Conclusion: If poker belongs in category 1b (I think we can all agree that it isn't a 1c category and I don't want to debate it with those who can't) because it is good for society or at worst a trivial game than it is obvious that a person could take some pride in their attempt to be a positive impact to society. If poker is in category 1a then it is still possible that(depending on just how evil and bad for society you think poker is) the person is still being a benefit to society if their demonstration of good qualities out weighs the level of deterioration caused by how they use them. I think feeling proud of being a positive impact on society is a great thing, and maybe even necessary to feel the need or keep the desire to be one.

Note: The reason I used 1a,b,c instead of 1,2,3 is because I was going to make 3 points but saw how ridiculously long this post was getting after just 1 so I didn't get into how anything can be defined as a "game" or "important stuff" based on ones personal value system.

so talented at murda

What? So if I choose not to have kids than I can value no material things, and can't be defined as a person??


Your life view is ridiculous

Actually he took a country that was poor and starving within a **** hair of complete world power and domination. I still think he is one of the worst human beings to ever live, so I understand how people can let their negative emotions get in the way of measuring him accurately and just say he was a cowardly evil idiot rather than a terrible person with remarkable skill and abilities to accomplish the (near) impossible. I guess maybe you think any brainless coward can take a country from poor and powerless to world domination. I just try to be more unbiased, which is why I don't call suicide bombers "cowards" just because I disagree with their actions.

The choice not to have children pretty much defines you, but that is not the point. You take my words too literally.

I'm entitled to my opinion. This is not a philosophy forum and I don't want to be engaged in a philosophy discussion in a place where 80% of the subscribers are in their early twenties and have zero to none real life experience.

PS. Hoopman, how in hell did you go from "Being good in a game does not contribute to society" to "Hitler is the greatest ever lived"?

You still don't understand my posts. I said twice, I think Hitler is probable the worst human being that ever lived. This is the third time... I think Hitler had about the worst impact on society that there has ever been from one person, and thus makes him one of the worst people that ever lived in my opinion. I'm not going to waste more posts saying this so just quote the bold and re-post it in response to yourself next time you put those words in my mouth.

i duno if ill get the truth but

how are the MS games post ptr?
any changes in overall behaviour?

Havent noticed anything special yet, the games seems like they have been the last months or so, think we have to wait 4-5 months+ before we actually can see some changes/make conclusions since 2-3 weeks is a small sample and may just be "variance" related.

We will need to compile a list of people who disappear, so we can make wagers on who the new screen names are.

starting this so-called "post" /w a lol is quite a ambitious i guess.

First, it's not "a game" like a tetris. It actually takes some thinking to be better than other players, which, just imo makes it a little bit different. And, unlike chess, people have real motivation ($$$) to do their best. Also, some say high-end business is just a game and money is just a way to keep score. Does that takes the pride away from them?

Second, whole contributing to society thing in 2012 is more than laughable. It's not like we're building colonies in America and everybody has to give his/her best to survive. I have Jewish origins, I make my living by gambling and I think/know religion is a bs. My society would probably hang me on the nearest tree if they had an opportunity to do so.

Third, what you're about is more "what is the sense of life" stuff and apparently my view in not as closed as yours (not into getting if its good or bad). I still don't see why there shouldn't be pride involved in successful facing number of challenges.

Also just a thought: What if you're successful businessman in oil industry or a military guy, and your kid turn up to be into some green bs and you're most hated man alive?

finally, sorry the rest of you for more of ^^ these bs

This is a pointless discussion, let's not derail the thread any further.

antchev i 100% agree with your POV and feel the like you about the other posts

so you both must not have read/understood the posts. Reading my posts and coming out with "Hitler was great" isn't a moral or philosophical difference, but a reading comprehension problem.

I had a quick remark about the discussion whether poker is solely for the money or also for pride.
Obvious money is MOST important, however to say that it is the only reason to play would worry me more than someone that says that he also plays for fun or pride or whatever (guess what, im one of those ).
Knowing that your ahead of every game that u play would be so draining, just as knowing that you are behind of a game your playing. The fun factor that kept me interesting in poker, PLO in particular, is not knowing if I can win or lose. Therefore im always willing to play anyone, just on the stakes that im comfortable with. If i truly feel someone is better, I stop playing him and will, like always, work on my game to give me another shot at this guy in a month or 2.
This is what poker makes fun, not accepting that someone is significantly better than you, and if you experience that someone is try to reason/calculate why this is the case.
Since I am not and probably none of us is ''the best of the world'' this would mean that poker stays interesting for me for quite some time.

ps. The only problem I experience is that it is harder and harder to compete with players who are thought of to be top dogs since they play so damn high...

Sadly, poker has reached a level of competition similar to cycling and Olympic running where you can't reach the top without using performance enhancing drugs.

hsplo needs more people like you

i want to back barcelona to win tonight, my $1250 to your $800. will escrow on stars if you wish. any takers?

i agree w/ lautie and i agree w/ this antchev's post: Poker is just a game. Being good in a game does not define you as a person and doing it contributes close to zero to society.

ya doens't contributes w society, but its a fun game and like every sport/game, has pride involved. when you play football, you don't want win the game? obv i play for fun, but winning the game its important too.

when i used to play video games beat the ultimate boss was my goal. nowadays my goal is beat ilari and isildur. they are the kings who we need try beat.

ps: unfortunally after losing a poker game i can't click ''load'' and comeback from where i were lol.

haha, reminds me this interview "Phil Ivey is the final boss in Fixed Limit heads-up"

That is why poker cannot be compared to sports or "counter strike"

AWP = all skill
PLO = not so much

why the ****ing **** do i play HU against this ****ing noclue pokerparty..why the ****ing ****? i cant ****ing win 1 ****ing pot vs him, **** meeeeeeeee.

Are stars actually considering this post-ptr one-time SN change? or is it just wishful thinking on our part

Anybody want to make a bet vs me?

Barcelona to win champions league, 1:1. (Have to beat Chelsea with 1-0 deficit on aggregate and also beat Real Madrid or Bayer in the Final, and they also lost to Real Madrid yesterday)