How a crony capitalist system is like rigged poker
There was a time when I had more time and I used to play poker sort of seriously. I still play occasionally. I enjoy the game. I find it endless in nuance and full of lessons about life.
As Kenny Rogers says, know when to hold em’, when to fold em’, when to walk away, and when to run. (Though I would say that if you ever find yourself running away from a poker game it’s probably time to consider another pastime.)
Poker, real poker, is a great analogy for life. Some of us come to the table with big stacks. Some of us come to the table with small stacks. Big (tall) stacks are a huge advantage. Small stacks are harder to work with.
For instance if one has a big stack and one plays one’s cards right, with a good hand the payoff can be large. With a smaller stack the payoff can only be the size of your current stack. (Assuming a one on one showdown.) Read More.
