Our Lady and Lady Luck

[Mole]

Almost all gamblers believe in luck, or Lady Luck, as they call her.

But the fact of the matter is that gambling is precisely controlled by the laws of statistics.

This discrepancy between luck and statistics makes bookmakers and the owners of casinos rich, and it makes the gamblers poor.

We have the proof of this with David Walsh in Oz.

David is a mathematician who calculates the statistics of gambling and wins and wins and wins until he has won a fortune which he has spent on a wonderful museum, MONA, in Hobart, Tasmania on the Derwent River. Click on - www.mona.net.au

But David is the exception. He doesn't believe in Lady Luck any more than an atheist believes in Allah.

David is a man of the Enlightenment, while those who believe in Lady Luck are like those who believe in the Our Lady, the Mother of God.

 

[Phil P]

most people do not gamble to make money, they gamble for the thrill. And casinos provide the service of thrill for the price of lost money.

 

[Mole]

Lake Wobegon

most people do not gamble to make money, they gamble for the thrill. And casinos provide the service of thrill for the price of lost money.

Yes, this is the propaganda of the Casinos, which is true, however the gamblers believe, with luck on their side, they can win.

So when they win, they thank Lady Luck, but when they loose, they don't seem keen to blame her.

It's a bit like footballers who thank God for every win but don't blame him for every loss.

And it's a bit like Lake Wobegon where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.

 

[WALMART]

Today is another bad day...

Is there anyone here that can give me happiness?

Thanks for letting me relive some nostalgic thoughts, Victor.

 

[Saslou]

I think if we are continuously looking for more then we will continue to be in positions where we want. We always want more yet don't count our blessings with what we have. I'd say i'm lucky in that i took a breath this morning, where countless people took their last. I woke to see the sun shining on a clear day, how many didn't get to see that this morning. It's all about perspective.

 

[Jonny]

Luck is absolutely real, but it is a descriptor of past and present circumstances, and does not contain predictive power. Broadly speaking, it is the occurrence of positive outcomes without forethought or direct knowledge of the causal path of our actions. If I play a game of Russian roulette and don't die, then I'm lucky in that context (provided I didn't want to die). The trick to ensuring a successful life is to minimize the number of times one must rely on "getting lucky" and/or minimize the severity of the potential worst case scenarios, when uncertainty is unavoidable, through conscious decision (e.g. Playing with rubber bullets).

As for Mr. Walsh, I'd like to know where he's doing his gambling...

(iPhone)

 

[Mole]

Luck is absolutely real

Of course we feel luck is real, particularly with hindsight. But statistics precisely predicts the outcome. And statistics shows how we are fooled into thinking luck is real.

 

[Mole]

As for Mr. Walsh, I'd like to know where he's doing his gambling...

There is a good interview in, "The Monthly", at - http://www.themonthly.com.au/home-david-walsh-gambler-richard-flanagan-7371

But the best I can find for you is at - http://www.themonthly.com.au/arts-l...sh-and-tasmania-s-museum-old-and-new-art-2918

 

[Mole]

And we are fooled into thinking we can measure our own personalities.

And worse, we are fooled into thinking we can measure the personalities of celebrities.

And just when we think it couldn't get worse, we are fooled into thinking we can measure the personalities of our pets.

This is similar to being fooled to believe in luck.

 

[Mole]

And just as we are fooled to believe in luck, we are fooled to believe in revolution.

We are fooled into believing a revolution will bring freedom and justice over dictatorship and cruelty. But a revolution not only overthrows a repressive regime, it also destroys the old order, paving the way for a brutal, bloody fight for power to establish a new order.

This is clearly seen in the American Revolution and Civil War where they killed their own people brutally, bloodily and in large numbers.

And we see this today in the Arab Revolution which is producing human catastrophes across the Arab world.

 

[Thalassa]

Faith is an extremely powerful force, Victor.

You should actually look into the power of faith, whether it's in Lady Luck or Our Lady; people who trust in things like divine order and who can set clear, loving, non-harmful intentions actually tend to produce results, including in their own physical and mental health.

Faith and acceptance are both profound states of mind, no matter how you want to analyze it, it's something quite healthy that some people are foolishly attempting to eradicate from the modern world.

 

[Mole]

Faith is an extremely powerful force, Victor.

You should actually look into the power of faith, whether it's in Lady Luck or Our Lady; people who trust in things like divine order and who can set clear, loving, non-harmful intentions actually tend to produce results, including in their own physical and mental health.

Faith and acceptance are both profound states of mind, no matter how you want to analyze it, it's something quite healthy that some people are foolishly attempting to eradicate from the modern world.

Faith in the roulette wheel, or faith in the fall of the dice, will make us poorer. But a knowledge of statistics shows the world as it is and may make us rich like David Walsh.

Of course faith in Lady Luck or Our Lady makes us feel better, but at our cost.

Ask yourself, my dear Marmotini, when was the last time you saw a marmot at the roulette wheel or throwing the dice with their little paws? Or when was the last time you saw a marmot with their little paws clasped in prayer?

Indeed I can find no one who has seen Marmotini herself invoking Lady Luck at the roulette wheel.

 

[Thalassa]

Faith in the roulette wheel, or faith in the fall of the dice, will make us poorer. But a knowledge of statistics shows the world as it is and may make us rich like David Walsh.

Of course faith in Lady Luck or Our Lady makes us feel better, but at our cost.

Ask yourself, my dear Marmotini, when was the last time you saw a marmot at the roulette wheel or throwing the dice with their little paws? Or when was the last time you saw a marmot with their little paws clasped in prayer?

Indeed I can find no one who has seen Marmotini herself invoking Lady Luck at the roulette wheel.

Faith is not the same as believing in luck, the belief in luck is more likely a suggestion toward the idea that you are in sync with the flow of the universe, or not, at any given time. People who believe in luck are basically looking for signs if they're on the right path or not. I think the Chinese idea of luck is compatible with Taoism because it suggests that the wheel of life goes up and down (and it does), and that you have to be "in tune" enough to realize if you're on the most auspicious path or not; if you're not, better hold back and wait instead of throwing those dice. Or to put it in more Biblical terms, "for everything there is a season, turn, turn, turn!"

Marmots don't have to pray because they're already one with All That Is, or the Tao, or what some people call God.

Marmotini believes that faith in the spirit of love and acceptance actually is a VERY powerful frame of mind. It doesn't mean you get everything you want, it means you believe the highest best path can be revealed to you and your needs will be met, because you believe and do your best.

It's why even in magic they say you can't MAKE someone fall in love with you, but you can draw love to you. Similar principle.

Most religious philosophies are strikingly similar, so much so, that I think it's foolish to not try to understand something that has appeared in every culture.

I didn't get it until fairly recently, though, it's like something was obscured, and then a light came on, and it all suddenly made sense. I had an Ni moment, I suppose, because when one philosophy made sense, slowly but surely all the other ones did too, even ones I'd read and rejected before on the basis of poor teaching.

I am amazed.

 

[Lark]

Almost all gamblers believe in luck, or Lady Luck, as they call her.

But the fact of the matter is that gambling is precisely controlled by the laws of statistics.

This discrepancy between luck and statistics makes bookmakers and the owners of casinos rich, and it makes the gamblers poor.

We have the proof of this with David Walsh in Oz.

David is a mathematician who calculates the statistics of gambling and wins and wins and wins until he has won a fortune which he has spent on a wonderful museum, MONA, in Hobart, Tasmania on the Derwent River. Click on - www.mona.net.au

But David is the exception. He doesn't believe in Lady Luck any more than an atheist believes in Allah.

David is a man of the Enlightenment, while those who believe in Lady Luck are like those who believe in the Our Lady, the Mother of God.

For a non-believer Victor you sure do spend a lot of time thinking about religion and Roman Catholicism.

 

[Mole]

Marmots don't have to pray because they're already one with All That Is, or the Tao, or what some people call God.

I am amazed.

I knew it, these cute marmots have it all together, they are amazing.

 

[Mole]

His Holiness, Victor I

For a non-believer Victor you sure do spend a lot of time thinking about religion and Roman Catholicism.

Who can blame me when the first African Pope in 183 AD was His Holiness, Victor I?

So perhaps, dear Lark, knowing I am named after Victor I, the first African Pope, may garner me a little more respect.

 

[Giggly]

I don't see the appeal of gambling. I do believe in luck though but more in a random way where you're not expecting or hoping for it.

 

[swordpath]

I don't see the appeal of gambling.

Same. I've never gambled a penny of mine. Never even been inside a casino. I do want to go to one sometime, but mainly just to drink, put chips in the slot machines and then be able to say I've been.

 

[Cellmold]

Luck as a word is appropriate to describe the variables that can cause knock-on effects which are too small for us to see.

As for gambling, couldn't care less. Luck in that arena is more statistical and mathematical than luck in other areas.