Society/Culture Horse racing is cruel

Remove this Banner Ad

owen87 said:
Yes, the first Spring Carnival large numbers of people can attend since 2019. Obviously representative of how wider society likes or dislike horse racing.

They've sold it as an social event to dress up and attend. How many of those people actually give a toss about the horse racing on the day, let alone any other day of the year?
Click to expand...

So it clearly had nothing to do with the forecasted rain and middle of Winter like temperatures? Okay....
 
Fadge said:
Was a great era of horse racing.

Cox Plate winner in 1990, and the 1992 Cox Plate where he was runner-up to Super Impose is generally regarded as the strongest Cox Plate field in history.
Click to expand...
That Japan Cup was one thing, but then the Australian Cup next Autumn where he beat Vo Rogue and co by 6L back when our middle distance horses were good-was something else.

 

Log in to remove this ad.

owen87 said:
Would they object to the gambling being removed from the industry? Take gambling out of racing and it would cease to exist in any major form IMO.
Click to expand...
You're getting zero objection there from me, but I'd be exceedingly interested to see how you plan to accomplish the abolition of gambling before you abolish horse racing.

It seems to me to a harder task to achieve.
 
owen87 said:
Would they object to the gambling being removed from the industry? Take gambling out of racing and it would cease to exist in any major form IMO.
Click to expand...
It would become much more the sole preserve of the wealthy, but it would still exist. Probably more akin to yacht racing. If you keep scheduling the great races of the world, people will still want to win them, and spend a lot of money to do so.

Prize money would drop but most people know horse ownership is a terrible investment so they’re not in it for the money anyway. Believe it or not, a lot of people love horse racing and aren’t punters.
 
Gethelred said:
You're getting zero objection there from me, but I'd be exceedingly interested to see how you plan to accomplish the abolition of gambling before you abolish horse racing.

It seems to me to a harder task to achieve.
Click to expand...

I mean this is a discussion forum, I'm not actually attempting to legislate these things. Simply discussing something I'd enjoy seeing.
 
owen87 said:
I mean this is a discussion forum, I'm not actually attempting to legislate these things. Simply discussing something I'd enjoy seeing.
Click to expand...
For the sake of argument, then?

If so, you're probably correct that deprived of gambling an awful lot of the support for horse racing would disappear.
 
owen87 said:
I mean this is a discussion forum, I'm not actually attempting to legislate these things. Simply discussing something I'd enjoy seeing.
Click to expand...

So, you would enjoy seeing something taken away from others who currently have the freedom to do, whether they choose to do it every week or just once a year for a bit of fun. What they choose to do doesn't affect you in the slightest, but you'd like it taken away from them anyway all because you personally don't like it and you don't like the industries it supports? Bit self-centered don't you think?
 
Better Loosen Up said:
So, you would enjoy seeing something taken away from others who currently have the freedom to do, whether they choose to do it every week or just once a year for a bit of fun. What they choose to do doesn't affect you in the slightest, but you'd like it taken away from them anyway all because you personally don't like it and you don't like the industries it supports? Bit self-centered don't you think?
Click to expand...

Given the harm gambling causes, I don't think the 'freedom to do what they want' argument really holds up well.

Australia has the highest gambling losses of any country in the world. That's a problem.

So no. It's not just about whether it affects me or not.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

owen87 said:
Given the harm gambling causes, I don't think the 'freedom to do what they want' argument really holds up well.

Australia has the highest gambling losses of any country in the world. That's a problem.

So no. It's not just about whether it affects me or not.
Click to expand...

I think it holds up very well because I'm the sort of person that believes that people should be free to do what they like provided it's not breaking any laws. I don't feel like it's my place to tell other people how to live their lives just like people shouldn't tell me how to live my life.

People do lots of things that I personally don't like or am not interested in. But rather than trying to take those things away from them, I just focus on something else and mind my own business.
 
Better Loosen Up said:
I think it holds up very well because I'm the sort of person that believes that people should be free to do what they like provided it's not breaking any laws. I don't feel like it's my place to tell other people how to live their lives just like people shouldn't tell me how to live my life.

People do lots of things that I personally don't like or am not interested in. But rather than trying to take those things away from them, I just focus on something else and mind my own business.
Click to expand...

That's a view that sound nice in theory, but works poorly in reality.

We make all kinds of things illegal because they're not a communal good.

Like how it's illegal not to wear a seatbelt.
 
owen87 said:
That's a view that sound nice in theory, but works poorly in reality.

We make all kinds of things illegal because they're not a communal good.

Like how it's illegal not to wear a seatbelt.
Click to expand...

Works perfectly fine for me. In reality too!!! Like every day!

Much better than your reality where everyone is fighting for their own personal version of perfection which leads to absolutely no one being happy in the end because we're all different.
 
owen87 said:
Given the harm gambling causes, I don't think the 'freedom to do what they want' argument really holds up well.

Australia has the highest gambling losses of any country in the world. That's a problem.

So no. It's not just about whether it affects me or not.
Click to expand...
It is fair to want to minimise the harm from problem gambling, and a lot is being done in this space. But many people enjoy it without harm - yes most might lose money overall but the same can be said for many other recreational activities. So long as you enjoy it and it doesn't negatively impact your life then what is the harm?

We may have the highest gambling losses in the world but that is because we are a very rich country. It's a problem for some, but many have paid off houses, high incomes and nothing better to do with their coin.

Can't remember the exact numbers but something like 95% of problem gambling losses are in pokies. It is huge - and it probably doesn't get the scrutiny it deserves. Perhaps if they suddenly had lots of tv ads with annoying voiceovers that might change.

And yes, one day I must head along to the Springvale Whippet races. Would be so much fun I recon.
 
Better Loosen Up said:
Works perfectly fine for me. In reality too!!! Like every day!
Click to expand...

Except you're abiding by all the rules and restrictions in place for the communal good. So yeah... not quite the slam dunk you hoped for.

Better Loosen Up said:
Much better than your reality where everyone is fighting for their own personal version of perfection which leads to absolutely no one being happy in the end because we're all different.
Click to expand...

That's not my reality at all, but good try at a strawman.
 
kickazz said:
It is fair to want to minimise the harm from problem gambling, and a lot is being done in this space. But many people enjoy it without harm - yes most might lose money overall but the same can be said for many other recreational activities. So long as you enjoy it and it doesn't negatively impact your life then what is the harm?

We may have the highest gambling losses in the world but that is because we are a very rich country. It's a problem for some, but many have paid off houses, high incomes and nothing better to do with their coin.

Can't remember the exact numbers but something like 95% of problem gambling losses are in pokies. It is huge - and it probably doesn't get the scrutiny it deserves. Perhaps if they suddenly had lots of tv ads with annoying voiceovers that might change.

And yes, one day I must head along to the Springvale Whippet races. Would be so much fun I recon.
Click to expand...

Pokies would be the number one target in the gambling space if I had to pick one to eradicate tomorrow.
 
owen87 said:
Except you're abiding by all the rules and restrictions in place for the communal good. So yeah... not quite the slam dunk you hoped for.



That's not my reality at all, but good try at a strawman.
Click to expand...

When you start advocating for banning things that other people currently have the freedom to enjoy and is a long standing part of our history and culture as a society, yes, it's your reality.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Society/Culture Horse racing is cruel

Similar threads

Gethelred
Society/Culture Is the SRP too negative?
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
barreness
barreness
Seeds
Society/Culture Are we responsible for our actions? And what is the implication for society?
Replies
3
Views
187
Gethelred
Gethelred
R
Society/Culture The housing crisis. How is it fixed?
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
140
Views
5K
leon123
leon123
Gough
Why is abortion a live issue in Australian politics again?
Replies
17
Views
500
Seeds
Seeds
Johnny Bananas
Politics The economy is set up to screw young people
2 3 4
Replies
76
Views
3K
peetoo
peetoo
darth_timon
  • Poll
Politics Is Education better off Privatised?
Replies
19
Views
908
Rusty Brookes
R
Gethelred
Society/Culture "Grifting" versus ethics: Is it anything goes?
Replies
15
Views
1K
Chief
Chief

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top