Games of Chanceby Robert G. Ingersoll
Why should we postpone our joy to another world? Thousands of people take great pleasure in dancing, and I say let them dance. Dancing is better than weeping and wailing over a theology born of ignorance and superstition. And so with games of chance. There is a certain pleasure in playing games, and the pleasure is of the most innocent character. Let all these games be played at home and children will not prefer the saloon to the society of their parents. I believe in cards and billiards, and would believe in progressive euchre, were it more of a game - the great objection to it is its lack of complexity. My idea is to get what little happiness you can out of this life, and to enjoy all sunshine that breaks through the clouds of misfortune. Life is poor enough at best. No one should fail to pick up every jewel of joy that can be found in his path. Every one should be as happy as he can, provided he is not happy at the expense of another, and no person rightly constituted can be happy at the expense of another. Source: Dresden Edition, Vol. 8, p. 469 [Comment by William B. Lindley, inspired by Leslie Pratt Spelman]Fine sentiments! But on games of chance, the man contradicts himself. "(W)ith games of chance... the pleasure is of the most innocent character." But "(N)o person rightly constituted can be happy at the expense of another." In any game of chance, the person hopes to gain at the expense of the other players; the pleasure is thus not "of the most innocent character". That's what's wrong with games of chance.
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