Dealing with Negative Stereotypes associated with being a professional poker player

[Zybomb]

I agree with a lot of the responses (fuck em) but In some situations its not the most practical... like for example u meet a girl and first speak to her parents -- u cant really have the fuck em attitude lol

[Kurn]

Indeed, then you can just say "I arbitrage currencies on the internet."

[Fildy]

I almost think you can still have a fuck em attitude. I mean, you have been playing poker for a living without any other income for (insert months/years here) and you haven't had a problem supporting yourself yet. On top of that, and I'm sure that this is true with most of the members here, if for ANY reason poker ever heads south, and you need a new career, you have a skill set that will allow you to get a good job and still keep the lifestyle you have, if they don't understand or support that, then indeed fuck 'em.

If you go through life seeking or waiting on the support of people in everything you do, you are going to spend a lot of time waiting, or even changing. You are who you are, you do what you do, fuck what others think, seriously.

[MAYHEM45]

I can still get away with being a professional "student".

[juiCe[3x]]

I agree here, who cares what other people think about you...Be what you wanna be.

[Zybomb]

Ok you're both missing the point of my example here.

In the example I gave (meet a girl then her parents and inevitably what u do comes up) theres going to be a lot of uneasy moments with a girls father who hears the guy his daughter is seeing has no steady income and appears to be a degenerate loser (father kows nothing about poker lets say). ... so it's not a "who cares what ppl think do you" thing, it's just whats a good way of dealing/explaining out with the situation to make it smooth/better

this isn't an actual situation for me here, but i think its a very good example of what i was tryin to ask.

[Fildy]

Fuck it, you are an investor.

Why is life so complicated.

[Talking Poker]

Agreed.

The "fuck em - I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude sounds nice in theory, but there are a lot of times when it would be completely stupid in practice.

[Kurn]

Not to mention it's also a lot easier to have the "Fuck it" attitude when you're my age than when you're JD's.

[juiCe[3x]]

I think the best way to deal with this is to explain (or try to atleast) everything with him. Explain how the game isn't just gambling and maybe even bring up your past and how you are a consistent winner and its more like a job than they think. You can also bring up the skills you have as a back-up just in case.

It probably would be a good idea to explain to him how you have money set aside specifically for poker and how you mange your bankroll and how much you take out when you win and how you have discipline when knowing when to quit and/or moving down if you really need too.

[Fildy]

Challenge him HU in a cash game, after a while he will agree that you are financially sound, and perhaps will ask for his money back.

[JDMcNugent7]

It's ironic when at dinner with my new gf's entire family they ask what I do and I just tell them I don't have a job right now. They all jokingly make fun of how she better find a new guy and all since I'm a broke bum, when I'm fairly certain I make more than all of them. it can be a little tough not to say anything back but I figured out it's definitely for the best, and when they eventually do find out, they're much more impressed.

[Kurn]

There are a few problems with this.

1. Poker IS gambling. (unless you're playing only play money games)
2. People who have a knee-jerk opposition to what we do cannot be reasoned with.
3. Daddy will always find a reason to dislike his daughter's choice in men.

This all being said, you will encouter those who are not automatically opposed to earning a living playing poker, but are still not comfortable with how steady the income stream can be. To them, the best approach is to liken it to any other new business. Or liken it to being a floor trader on the NYSE. Or liken it to being a farmer (no matter how well your choose your crops, how hard you work, etc., the weather is a huge luck factor).

There is a risk factor in all careers. The more independent you are, the higher the risk (AND the higher the return).

If someone will listen to reason, be honest with them. Be clear that the 35% short term luck factor is WHY it is possible to earn a good living at poker. Explain that there are very few professional chess players because weak chess players not only can't beat good ones, they don't think they can often enough to want to bet on their own play.

But be aware that the kind who will listen to reason are in the minority and in most cases you either have to adopt the "who cares" attitude and take your lumps or devise a good cover story and stick with it.

And don't hide it from your girlfriend. That will bite you in the ass worse than anything.

If she likes your money and doesn't care where it comes from (or isn't smart enough to care), trust me, you're better off without her regardless of how great her body is and how much she rocks your world in bed. That'll all wear off after a couple of years anyway.

[VeryMoonFunk]

thank you for this. very insightful.