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Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

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Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#41

Post by mattlutze »

palmer_eldritch wrote: post #22
hukep wrote: post #14

I don't like the concept of word 'doping'. It is just the word which represents a chemical substance to stimulate body for a better performance. There is however such a hate in using this word. In the past even caffeine in the coffee was considered to be a doping. It is not nowadays Everybody should be allowed to use any chemical substance for himself as he wish. He should be responsible for his own action. If he des…

What if amphetamines (or some other stimulants) were to become a thing in the IT industry and that workers had no other choice to take some to meet standard performance or be unemployed? All for the benefit of the employers? That's pretty much what's going on for professional athletes... now, I wouldn't like being forced to take some drugs to be able to make a living. And if we say it's ok to do it for professional s…

> What if amphetamines (or some other stimulants) were to become a thing in the IT industry and that workers had no other choice to take some to meet standard performance or be unemployed? All for the benefit of the employers?

There is a culture of amphetamine use in the IT industry. I haven't seen articles on it in a while, but I thought it relatively accepted that a lot of people who go find ADHD diagnoses don't actually have the disorder, and are just looking for a dextroamphetamine scrip.

Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#42

Post by _pmf_ »

hukep wrote: post #14

I don't like the concept of word 'doping'. It is just the word which represents a chemical substance to stimulate body for a better performance. There is however such a hate in using this word. In the past even caffeine in the coffee was considered to be a doping. It is not nowadays Everybody should be allowed to use any chemical substance for himself as he wish. He should be responsible for his own action. If he des…

> Everybody should be allowed to use any chemical substance for himself as he wish. He should be responsible for his own action.

I fully agree. He should then further demonstrate this responsibility by choosing not to compete in competitions that explicitly forbid this kind of enhancement.

Why should I expect to be free to do what I want and expect to be allowed to compete against people who agree to abide to certain restrictions?

Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#43

Post by _pmf_ »

forloop wrote: post #38
palmer_eldritch wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if amphetamines (or some other stimulants) were to become a thing in the IT industry and that workers had no other choice to take some to meet standard performance or be unemployed? All for the benefit of the employers? That's pretty much what's going on for professional athletes... now, I wouldn't like being forced to take some drugs to be able to make a living. And if we say it's ok to do it for professional s…

> All for the benefit of the employers? And society. Sports and jobs are different.

> And society. Sports and jobs are different.

How does society benefit from it?

Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#45

Post by forloop »

johnchristopher wrote: post #39
forloop wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> All for the benefit of the employers? And society. Sports and jobs are different.

There are such things as `professional league'.

I was making a distinction between sport and economic activity; rather than the strict definition of a job.

A sport is zero-sum. Economic activity is normally positive-sum.

Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#46

Post by forloop »

_pmf_ wrote: post #43
forloop wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> All for the benefit of the employers? And society. Sports and jobs are different.

> And society. Sports and jobs are different. How does society benefit from it?

How does society benefit from products/services and innovation/invention? Really!

Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#48

Post by mdpopescu »

gillianseed wrote: post #20
hukep wrote: post #14

I don't like the concept of word 'doping'. It is just the word which represents a chemical substance to stimulate body for a better performance. There is however such a hate in using this word. In the past even caffeine in the coffee was considered to be a doping. It is not nowadays Everybody should be allowed to use any chemical substance for himself as he wish. He should be responsible for his own action. If he des…

We are talking professional competition here, the result of your logic is that anyone who wanted to compete professionaly would have to subject themselves (and their health) to doping. I don't want to see such a future, where young athletes have no choice but to put their health at severe risk in order to be competitive. And of course should doping be allowed as you suggest, and naturally everyone would have to use i…

Why is "I don't want to see X" considered a valid argument?

Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#49

Post by _pmf_ »

forloop wrote: post #46
_pmf_ wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And society. Sports and jobs are different. How does society benefit from it?

How does society benefit from products/services and innovation/invention? Really!

> How does society benefit from products/services and innovation/invention? Really!

Amphetamines allow for short term gains in productivity for individuals and possibly companies. The products/services/innovations/inventions will be realized regardless of these short term effects. As much as Silicon Valley likes the myth of the lone (drug fueled) rockstar developer, please don't be deluded to think this has any semblance of relevance in reality.

Re: Professional Video Gamers to Be Tested for Doping

#50

Post by forloop »

_pmf_ wrote: post #49
forloop wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does society benefit from products/services and innovation/invention? Really!

> How does society benefit from products/services and innovation/invention? Really! Amphetamines allow for short term gains in productivity for individuals and possibly companies. The products/services/innovations/inventions will be realized regardless of these short term effects. As much as Silicon Valley likes the myth of the lone (drug fueled) rockstar developer, please don't be deluded to think this has any sembl…

> Amphetamines allow for short term gains in productivity for individuals and possibly companies.

Your premise is incorrect! It depends on the dosage. Low dose amphetamines can be neuroprotective. Even meth!

People also take a combination of drugs to stave off tolerance. Memantine, for example.

> As much as Silicon Valley likes the myth of the lone (drug fueled) rockstar developer, please don't be deluded to think this has any semblance of relevance in reality.

I'm not making reference to that.

Increased productivity is good for living standards—ceteris paribus. I've given two examples of how amphetamines may be used profitably in the longterm (which increases productivity). And because of what I've said in the first sentence, it follows living standards will be improved.

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