Gambling

[Angelmax]

Do you believe that gambling is a cancer on society engineered to entrap the gullible, or is merely a form of entertainment and income posing no harm at all?

Moreso, do you think it is immoral for our governments to reap billions in taxes from gamblers, or that the money is necessary to provide infrastructure, healthcare and so on.

Discuss.

 

Do you believe that gambling is a cancer on society engineered to entrap the gullible, or is merely a form of entertainment and income posing no harm at all?

Neither. It's simply not your responsibility to stop it. There is plenty of information out there for the discerning consumer. If they choose not to look it up (or to ignore it) in the age of information, that's their problem. It could also simply be their educated preference. Either way, not your problem.

Moreso, do you think it is immoral for our governments to reap billions in taxes from gamblers

Yes, theft is theft.

or that the money is necessary to provide infrastructure, healthcare and so on.

No, anymore than its necessary for casinos to provide compulsory life insurance to one time customers.

 

[Angelmax]

Neither. It's simply not your responsibility to stop it. There is plenty of information out there for the discerning consumer. If they choose not to look it up (or to ignore it) in the age of information, that's their problem. It could also simply be their educated preference. Either way, not your problem.

Obviously it's not our position to stop anyone from doing it, my question was more whether it is an irresponsible or stupid thing to do.

 

[wtp]

It's the intelligent taking advantage of the unintelligent. That's pretty much how life works. The more you know the better off you have against the next guy.

Yes, theft is theft.

What is theft?

 

[Angelmax]

What is theft?

Taxes, as far as he's concerned.

 

[wtp]

Taxes, as far as he's concerned.

I would like the reasoning for that.

 

I would like the reasoning for that.

It is what it is.

Theft is the taking of property without consent.
Taxation is the taking of property without consent.

How do I know? Because I do not give my consent, and yet they take my property anyway.
I tried not letting them take my property, and they threatened to lock me up;
Therefore I pay my taxes under duress. I.e. I pay them under threat of force -- I pay them without consenting to pay.

Therefore taxation is theft. QED.

 

[wtp]

It is what it is.

Theft is the taking of property without consent.
Taxation is the taking of property without consent.

How do I know? Because I do not give my consent, and yet they take my property anyway.
I tried not letting them take my property, and they threatened to lock me up;
Therefore I pay my taxes under duress. I.e. I pay them under threat of force -- I pay them without consenting to pay.

Therefore taxation is theft. QED.

That makes sense. Does that mean it's immoral though? I can't imagine living a good life without the services the government has.

 

That makes sense. Does that mean it's immoral though? I can't imagine living a good life without the services the government has.

It's immoral because theft is immoral.

Even if you personally consent then its still immoral, because you don't have the choice to stop paying if you disagree with what they are doing.

All human interaction should be voluntary. That which is not voluntary is simply rape.

 

[Angelmax]

It's immoral because theft is immoral.

Even if you personally consent then its still immoral, because you don't have the choice to stop paying if you disagree with what they are doing.

All human interaction should be voluntary. That which is not voluntary is simply rape.

You do have a choice. Either decline and be prepared to defend yourself, or move somewhere where by policy or circumstance there are no taxes, for example Somalia.

And then perhaps you'll understand what our money is spent on here.

 

You do have a choice. Either decline and be prepared to defend yourself, or move somewhere where by policy or circumstance there are no taxes, for example Somalia.

And then perhaps you'll understand what our money is spent on here.

Do not pretend that it is voluntary because I have the 'choice' to fight the aggressors. You would just as soon tell a slave that his slavery is voluntary because he has the choice to fight his master and the coercive apparatus that keeps him enslaved.

You deliberately mix the terms voluntary and compulsory, pretending that actions performed under duress are the same as actions those performed under voluntary cooperation. You do not want to face the truth of the matter: That taxation is theft, and income taxation is slavery. And that you won't face this simple set of facts, despite understanding the argument, is simple and pure corruption.

 

[Angelmax]

Don't pretend that its voluntary because I have the choice to fight the aggressors. You would just as soon tell a slave that his slavery is voluntary because he has the choice to fight his master. You deliberately mix the terms voluntary and compulsory, pretending that actions performed under duress are the same as actions performed in voluntary cooperation, because you do not want to face the truth of the matter. This is simple and pure corruption.

A slave can't freely board a plane for Africa and be free of his master. I understand your position of course, but it is unfair to say I am avoiding the truth.

 

A slave can't freely board a plane for Africa and be free of his master. I understand your position of course,

I can't freely board a plane. I require permission from two governments to do so. These are called a passport and a visa.

And you fallaciously claim that Somalia is an anarchic society. It is not. There are at least 5 nation states there.

but it is unfair to say I am avoiding the truth.

No, you are not avoiding the truth. You are fully aware of the truth. You are simply engaging in intellectual corruption.

 

[FireZ]

I gamble. I ONLY gamble with $50 every 3 months though.

I'm fine with it as long as you keep your debit card under control. I find it fun to gamble every once in a while. But also I have total control.

Wheeling Island is where I go.


The only problem I have with gambling casinos is that people "say" it brings the drugs, violence, blah blah blah with it.

That is nothing less then a complete crock of shit. That stuff was there long before the casino and would have still been with or without that casino being there.

 

[Angelmax]

I can't freely board a plane. I require permission from two governments to do so. These are called a passport and a visa.

This is irrelevant. Once you are in Somalia, for the sake of the argument, there is no demand for you to pay any kind of taxation.

And you fallaciously claim that Somalia is an anarchic society. It is not. There are at least 5 nation states there.

None of which impose any kind of taxation.

 

This is irrelevant. Once you are in Somalia, for the sake of the argument, there is no demand for you to pay any kind of taxation.

Yes there is. All of those governments extract taxation to the extent that they can.

But its completely beside the point. Why should I go to Africa just because you want to rob me?

Is your mind so small that you cannot conceive of a way to defend yourself against criminals without robbing and enslaving me?

 

[sammyj]

gambling is fine within reason, but it's entirely up to the person doing it to decide when that line is.

 

[Poker Player]

I gamble. I ONLY gamble with $50 every 3 months though.

I'm fine with it as long as you keep your debit card under control. I find it fun to gamble every once in a while. But also I have total control.

Wheeling Island is where I go.


The only problem I have with gambling casinos is that people "say" it brings the drugs, violence, blah blah blah with it.

That is nothing less then a complete crock of shit. That stuff was there long before the casino and would have still been with or without that casino being there.

I guess it explains who gives me money once in a while at 50NL(pokerz)

 

[b0b3rt]

Even if you could leave and go to Somalia, you would still have to pay taxes on all the money that you want to take with you.

 

[Poker Player]

Sythe, do you find anything wrong with people that just don't pay taxes at all?(tax evasion)