I've been thinking about an article I wrote a couple of months ago comparing bridge pros to sex workers. I still think the two jobs are very similar in that they both take advantage of the fact that there are some rich people willing to blow lots of money (well, it would be lots of money for the average person) to be treated well.
However, in light of some recent personal non-bridge adventures, I have come to realize that I have no problems with people performing a service for a fee and taking advantage of the rich, lonely, horny people to a point. We all need money so if someone wants that lifestyle and can find ways to get it funded, what's wrong with that? It's the other negative behavior that often is associated with prostitutes, strippers, and professional card players that bothers me - things that aren't directly to the job like excessive drug use, mental illness, instability, becoming too involved with the job that they fail to be prepared for life if/when they can no longer find clients, failure to realize that turning a hobby into work may cause the hobby to not be fun anymore, and generally being an unproductive to society.
There are some very respectable pros - people who give back to the bridge community, play in clubs, have no difficulty being nice to and even playing with bad players for free, and I guess these people happen to also be the ones that teach beginners rather than just play for masterpoints. And I know at least 2 strippers who are awesome people and clearly very good, caring, even religious people and not into drugs or gangs or things like that. I can't say I know any prostitutes but I assume that like strippers and bridge pros, a small percentage of them are also good sane people who I might not mind having as a friend.
In other news I looking forward to ST@Cs this week. With 345 mp for the year, I need some mp to catch bob jones for the 1000-2500 unit 114 mini-McKenney and playing 5 sessions in Macon/WR gives me a decent shot at 30 or more mp. Maybe.
Sent from my iPhone
GL in the STaC
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