PLayers
“LIFE IS A GAMBLE ON VIDEO TAPE, DOWN AT THE ARCADE…” LOU REED
Now I'm down a little, in fact, I'm down a lot
I'm on a roller coaster ride that I can't stop
Yeah, my luck has changed, but she'll come back
That's the beauty of a game of chance
I can't lose forever, but I'm doomed to try
Because I keep on hearing a voice inside
Players win and winners play
Have a lucky day!
Have a Lucky day. Mark Sandman
TO LOOSE OR TO WIN, THAT'S NOT WHAT REALLY MATTERS...
Ajax and Achilles played with dice. Since ancient times kids, adults and old people play. Playing is a human need, and it also seems to be an animal need. We follow a set of rules. We are told that the goal is to win. Sometimes we win... But results are not the main reason we really play for. We play for the thrill of the moment of winning or losing. We want to play again to have a better result next time. If we win, we want to win again.
Life can become a boring routine. We feel tired of our lives sometimes. Maybe that’s why sports and games are so important today. They are a way of taking distance from ourselves, creating a stage in which we risk something. We face situations that force us to make decisions. These decisions lead us to victory, defeat or to a status quo.
The game industry perfectly understands this, and turns us into winners and losers. It´s no secret to anyone that casinos make millions of dollars each year. Some working as legal enterprises, while others in the shadows. According to Meyer Lansky, the more honest a casino is, the more profitable. It´s not necessary for a casino to cheat. Odds are always on the side of the house. When a player wins, it gives hope to the player and to other players that see the chance of winning as something real.
“YOU CAN’T BEAT THE HOUSE…” bUT WHO REALLY WANTS TO?
An ethical debate about gambling has been on the table for discussion for many time, even from a religious point of view. The truth is that almost every player is aware of the danger of losing, and the little odd of winning. We know we are going to lose, but we have some room for the hope of victory. In the meantime, while we ride the roller coaster of chance through heaven, purgatory and hell, they offer us some free drinks to enjoy the game, and to feel a little bit more lucky. They invite us to wander freely and randomly through their dark and colorful labyrinths, so we can forget what time and day it is, and more important: the burden of our daily worries and routines.
Life seems to work in a similar way: we convince ourselves that these rules are real yet it’s really up to us to decide how seriously we want to accept the results. In the end, the attitude we assume towards winning or losing is what can determine our happiness and peace of mind. To win or to lose? That’s not what matters...
“WIN SOME LOSE SOME, IT’S ALL THE SAME TO ME” LEMMY KILMISTER.
