Opening theory, computers and wasting your life • page 1/2 • General Chess Discussion • lichess.org

"The ability to play chess is the sign of a gentleman. The ability to play chess well is the sign of a wasted life." - Paul Morphy

What do you say about this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P349BdHUxlc "The ability to play chess is the sign of a gentleman. The ability to play chess well is the sign of a wasted life." - Paul Morphy What do you say about this?

NM MrPushwood

#2

The traditional "gentleman" often did not work and came up with little that was truly productive. Not much difference there.

BeforeTheFunk

#3

He doesn't look like a really stable person.
For sure he knows what he is taking about, but a mind without any equilibrium tends to come up with very strong theories, ehich are more often than not exagerated.

He doesn't look like a really stable person. For sure he knows what he is taking about, but a mind without any equilibrium tends to come up with very strong theories, ehich are more often than not exagerated.

BeforeTheFunk

#4

BTW "wasted life" has no objective meaning, studying what you love can be very interesting, and understanding more and more the game can also be seen as a blessing for the chess world.
It really depends on your prospective, I wouldn't take the word of an old man as the Truth, just because he is perhaps the greatest ever

BTW "wasted life" has no objective meaning, studying what you love can be very interesting, and understanding more and more the game can also be seen as a blessing for the chess world. It really depends on your prospective, I wouldn't take the word of an old man as the Truth, just because he is perhaps the greatest ever

sparowe14

#5

Too bad they used their own lives to prove the point. Walking the streets of New Orleans, sitting in a Japanese asylum -- they were good at chess though.

Eleuthero

#6

@emy-888

I have quoted Morphy many times on this site because I believe his insight into what chess did to people was spot on. When I was active in tournament life in the 1980s I was often shocked at how obsessed about chess so many players were and how poor their social skills were. It's a common site to see players giving up their entire social life and playing blitz all night long almost every day of the week.

Chess is a beautiful game but it has many ugly consequences when not taken lightly.

@emy-888 I have quoted Morphy many times on this site because I believe his insight into what chess did to people was spot on. When I was active in tournament life in the 1980s I was often shocked at how obsessed about chess so many players were and how poor their social skills were. It's a common site to see players giving up their entire social life and playing blitz all night long almost every day of the week. Chess is a beautiful game but it has many ugly consequences when not taken lightly.

TheBoarShark

#7

@Eleuthero But that happens with anything if you obsess over it, it takes its toll and you have to give something up. It's only worth it if you actually get something out of it though.

Eleuthero edited

#8

@TheBoarShark

Morphy said in another quote that chess is just a recreation and that one should not be serious about it. He felt that seriousness should be reserved for the more important aspects of life like your job and your family.

Even if you "get something out of it" (whatever that means), if it destroys more important aspects of life it is not a healthy pursuit. Finally, pursuits like music, art, and writing give OTHER people joy whereas chess is rather a narcissistic pursuit since your wins and losses are of interest only to you. Only the elites (the top hundredth of one percent) create true works of art.

@TheBoarShark Morphy said in another quote that chess is just a recreation and that one should not be serious about it. He felt that seriousness should be reserved for the more important aspects of life like your job and your family. Even if you "get something out of it" (whatever that means), if it destroys more important aspects of life it is not a healthy pursuit. Finally, pursuits like music, art, and writing give OTHER people joy whereas chess is rather a narcissistic pursuit since your wins and losses are of interest only to you. Only the elites (the top hundredth of one percent) create true works of art.

sausage4mash

#9

I wasted a lot of my life on chess and I'm still rubbish at the game ,lols , but hay who is to say what a wasted life is .that's just a matter of perspective .

MadnessOn64Squares

#10

I always stress to follow your passions in life whether chess, science, go, or something else that others dont entirely understand. Too many people have a dream of being known in some field they have a passion for however often get discouraged early on and let those dreams die for a stable income working at some factory job or office job that they hate because its what they believe society has dictated to them for various reasons such as they are too old, lack resources or some other arbitrary excuse. Personally I'd rather work towards my passion then work for money, and as for people that claim in chess you really accomplish nothing...thats true for plenty of professions. Name an accountant that was world renowned in modern times? What about a nurse that just does a vitals check and forms? fact is that same statement can be used for just about any profession even in fields of science you may try all your life but never make any notable contributions, so follow what you love and do so with a dedicated and stubborn passion which doesnt allow someone's elses failures, stats against you, or any other discouraging factors ever shake you up mentally, because the moment it does is the moment you will run into that self fulfilling destiny everyone painted for you and you walked into. You'll lose that passion gradually, and you'll begin to have opportunities slip you by time and time again claiming that such chances were a gamble and whoever did profit was a fool that could have lost everything....fact is you often find that those who become world wide known are the ones who arent afraid of such a risk and will bet it all on the line.