University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Communication Studies Theses, Dissertations, and Communication Studies, Department of Student Research 4-20-2011 GOING ALL-IN ON THE AMERICAN DREAM: MYTH, RHETORIC, AND THE POKERIZATION OF AMERICA Aaron M. Duncan University of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected] Duncan, Aaron M., "GOING ALL-IN ON THE AMERICAN DREAM: MYTH, RHETORIC, AND THE POKERIZATION OF AMERICA" (2011). Communication Studies Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research. Paper 8. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/commstuddiss/8 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Communication Studies, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Communication Studies Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GOING ALL-IN ON THE AMERICAN DREAM: MYTH, RHETORIC, AND THE POKERIZATION OF AMERICA by Aaron Michael Duncan A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major: Communication Studies Under the Supervision of Professor Ronald Lee Lincoln, Nebraska May, 2011 GOING ALL IN ON THE AMERICAN DREAM: REHTORIC, MYTH, AND THE POKERIZATION OF AMERICA Aaron Michael Duncan, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 2011 Adviser: Ronald Lee This dissertation takes a rhetorical approach in exploring the rise of gambling in America, and in particular the growth of the game of poker, as a means to explore larger changes to America‘s collective consciousness. I argue that the collective American conscious has undergone dramatic changes in recent years and an increased acceptance of gambling is reflective of these changes. I establish this claim through the exploration of three cases studies which each employ different media. I examine the depiction of gambling in the wild western frontier, its rise in popularity during the modern age, and its current place in post-modern America. The first case study focuses on John Ford‘s classic film My Darling Clementine and gambling‘s connection to the Frontier Myth. The second case examines the depiction of poker on television by focusing on ESPN‘s coverage of the 2003 World Series of Poker and its use of the myth of the self-made man. The third case study explores the rhetoric of online poker and gambling. I discuss how this rhetoric works to combine elements of the Frontier Myth and the myth of the self- made man. Throughout this study I am employ elements of Fisher‘s narrative paradigm, Flood‘s view of political myths, and Burke‘s analysis of myths to explore the changing discourse of gambling and poker in America. Finally, I discuss the implications resulting from the rise of gambling in American culture and its future in the risk society. I conclude that gambling works to both critique and reinterpret the myth of the American Dream putting greater emphasis on the importance of luck and risk management and deemphasizing the importance of the Protestant ethic as well as social and individual virtue. Dedication I dedicate this document to my wonderful family. To my parents Drs. Garry and Kathy for showing me the way and to my brother Matt; even though you are only a mechanical engineer we love you anyway. Acknolwdgements I never set out to get a PhD, but here I find myself having completed a task that for many years seemed only like a distant possibility. I would not have done so without the help, encouragement, and support of friends and family. Thank you to my advisor Dr. Ronald Lee for his valuable feedback and for his tolerance of my liberal interpretations of the APA style manual. To Dr. Damien Pfister who was a late but important addition to my committee, I am thankful for your invalable advice. I also want to thank my parents Garry and Kathy Duncan and my brother Matt. My parents showed me that working full time and getting a PhD is possible. I am blessed to have such a loving and supportive family helping me along the way. Thank you to my two best friends Brock Wurl and Dave Rippe. The encouragement, humor, and fun you brought into my life during these years was much appreciated. Whether it was a game of golf, a round of beers, or showing me how to best give back to college students, I have always been greateful for your friendship. I would never have gotten into academia if not for the wonderful world of forensics and my desire to stay in and coach. To those who introduced me to this great activity I am eternally greatful. I am thankful to my high school debate coach Matt Molson for showing me the power of argument. I am indebted to my high school speech coach and mentor Matt Davis for showing me the wonders of rhetoric and persuasion. I will always be thankful to Dr. Dave Whitt for your constant encouragement in forensics, grad school, and life. To Craig Brown for giving me my first job in coaching as a GTA and for his continued guidance I am grateful. To Bobby Imbody for hauling me to tournaments across the country, for always having faith in me, and for making this activity so much fun. I promise that I will sometime in the future allow you to beat me at golf. To Dr. Bill Sieler for bringing me back to Lincoln and giving me a wonderful job (twice). As a coach I have been truly blessed to have worked with the best students in the country who make my job a true joy. To all my roommates who put up with me during the goodtimes and bad to dashing Darren Epping, whimsical Rachel Potucek, witty Neal Stewart, and the fun loving Kaitlyn Dernovich, I would not have survived without you. You have been great confidants, therapists, and drinking mates. To Jessy Ohl I am excited to see the scholar you develop into and so glad you chose to come here for grad school. Finally, to Chris Monyemake who‟s 2003 victory at the WSOP inspired this project and served as the basis for the second case study. To my poker playing buddies Tim, Rico, Nebraska Travis, and Big Jim I wish the best, may all draws come in and all your bluffs work, unless you are playing against me. i TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One: History of Gambling in America ................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Gambling‘s Cultural Significance ............................................................................5 Three Waves of Gambling .......................................................................................7 History of Poker .....................................................................................................27 Values Poker Promotes ..........................................................................................36 Conclusion .............................................................................................................41 References ..............................................................................................................42 Chapter Two: Rhetorical Markers in Gambling Scholarship ..........................................45 Conflicted Conceptions of Gambling ....................................................................46 Gambling as Capitalism .........................................................................................52 Gambling as Play and Leisure ...............................................................................55 Gambling as Vice ...................................................................................................65 Gambling as Disease ..............................................................................................72 Gambling for the Public Good ...............................................................................81 Gambling and Rhetoric ..........................................................................................82 Conclusion .............................................................................................................83 References ..............................................................................................................85 Chapter Three: Myth, Narrative, and Ideology ..............................................................89 Media and Messages ..............................................................................................90 Myth and Narrative ................................................................................................91 Case Studies in Narrative and Myth ....................................................................103 Research Questions ..............................................................................................104 References ............................................................................................................105 Chapter Four: My Darling Clementine……………………………………………….108 Frontier Myth ...................................................................................................... 109 My Darling Clementine .......................................................................................112 Plot .......................................................................................................................117 Setting ..................................................................................................................120