Poker; Does anyone think its "bad" or "evil"

[rockbottomsound]

Inspired by my own post on another thread, I wanted to get some opinions on this. First here's my post on another thread.

Here's a funny story along these lines. I got the bright idea to teach DD8 how to play poker. She is very very smart and loves all types of games, I'm thinking, hey I like poker, why not go ahead and teach DD right? Wrong, DW woke up later while I was in the middle of, this is a pair, this is 3 of a kind etc., etc., and went off on me.

She thinks poker for some reason is bad, why I don't know, as long as your not a gambling junkie, I don't see the harm, but DW thought otherwise.

Poor DD was bummed, she was just getting into it when DW pulled the plug.

Here's the question, does anyone else think that poker in and of itself is "bad" or "evil." I mean I can understand advocating against excessive gambling, gambling away the family rent money etc., but poker in and of itself without gambling? Depending on the results of the consensus on here, I'm going to blast my DW later, since the more I think about it, the more I think its silly to think that there is anything wrong with the game in and of itself.

 

[Squirlz]

That is very, very silly to think that it is evil!

 

[rockbottomsound]

Well in all fairness to my DW she doesn't think that it is "evil" just doesn't like it for some reason.

 

[disneymom3]

Well, I learned to play poker at the ripe old age of 4 so obviously I think it is okay! Of course, I may not be a good person to ask since my parents also let me start drinking coffee at the age of 2. And we are not talking decaf here.

Why do I worry so much about my own parenting skills?

 

[hucifer]

It seems to me that the whole point of poker is to gamble, unlike other card games where the object is just to win. Teaching the game itself doesn't sound bad, but if the end result is to take other people's money...it starts to cross a different line for me.

Basically, I can see it both being safe and harmful. I know, I'm a big help.

 

[Tinkim]

I don't think it's evil. We have a nice poker set that DH got from work and we have all been known to play even DD9. As far as she knows you win plastic chips in poker. I don't think she really associates it with money so I'm not sure what the harm is. I doubt any of them will be running off to Vegas anytime soon.

 

[TheGoofster]

I think that poker, along with many other things, can be used in either a good or "bad" way. I understand the association that poker often carries with it (when's the last time you saw a bunch of degenerates sitting around playing "go-fish"?), but in and of itself, it is nothing more than a simple card game.
My brother and I learned to play poker at a very young age. We would bet everything from plastic chips to cookies to baseball cards, but we never bet real money.

 

[rockbottomsound]

(when's the last time you saw a bunch of degenerates sitting around playing "go-fish"?),

Where's the tag fairy!??

 

[Serena]

My grandfather would never allow the children, especially the girls play with cards. Not even go fish.

But I play poker and really, it's not a whole lot different than Rummy, so maybe you could teach her that instead. At least until you figure out why it's bad to your wife.

When we play it's usually for some kind of candy, or pennies.

 

[caitycaity]

i play a lot of poker and i have encountered a lot of people who have a problem with it. personally, i (obviously) don't.

 

[TheGoofster]

My grandfather would never allow the children, especially the girls play with cards. Not even go fish.

But I play poker and really, it's not a whole lot different than Rummy, so maybe you could teach her that instead. At least until you figure out why it's bad to your wife.

When we play it's usually for some kind of candy, or pennies.

Did you ever play Michigan Rummy? That was always one of my favorites.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

when's the last time you saw a bunch of degenerates sitting around playing "go-fish"?

The mental picture

While I don't think poker is bad or evil, I was surprised when DH and the inlaws taught DS 4, at the time, how to play....and he knows it better than me!!! It is funny to hear DS tell people he is a "flush chaser" or talk about how he has "the nuts", LOL DH is an avid poker player and this is 1 of his ways of bonding

I just never associated poker as a "childs" game. It has been reported that Poker is actually very big with kids nowadays and is causing some major problems with some. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6613001

 

[azgal81]

I learned how to play at a very young age as well. I don't see how it's evil!

 

[Kycha]

My dad taught my brothers and me how to play poker when we were little. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are of us all together, on a warm summer weekend night, playing poker into the wee hours of the night. We usually played for peanuts, never money. It was never about the gambling anyway. It was about spending time together as a family and having fun.

 

[graygables]

Cards in general were pretty much an evil that my parents barely tolerated. FF to the teen years when my cousins and I were playing poker with toothpicks at their grandma's house. Granny came in, snatched up the cards and toothpicks, threw them all in the sink and SET FIRE TO THEM!!! all the while ranting about Satan and the evils of cards. I flinched the first bridge game I ever went to...

 

[PlainJane]

I personally play poker, but not for money. I'm not really into gambling in general, I just find it wasteful.

But to answer your question, I don't think it's evil.

 

[Mysteria]

We play poker. Depending on who we are playing with and how everyone is doing it could be for pennies, nickels, dimes. I don't think it is good, bad or evil. Bad and evil only come inot play when people don't know where to draw the line.

Myst

 

[Kitty 34]

Did you ever play Michigan Rummy? That was always one of my favorites.

Is Tripoli another name for Michigan Rummy? If it is we love that game!!!

We also play poker for small change and my Mom and I love the video poker machines at the casinos.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Here's the question, does anyone else think that poker in and of itself is "bad" or "evil."

How about Harry Potter, magic, and Disney?

Of course not. It is a card game.

 

[Charade]

It seems to me that the whole point of poker is to gamble, unlike other card games where the object is just to win. Teaching the game itself doesn't sound bad, but if the end result is to take other people's money...it starts to cross a different line for me.

Basically, I can see it both being safe and harmful. I know, I'm a big help.

To win in Monopoly is to accumulate the most property and wealth. IOW, taking it from others. Granted, it's not gambling.