"When Pippi taught the children how to play cards -- poker, blackjack, gin -- he would stack the deck and clean them out of their allowance money, then at the end e would give them a glorious streak of luck so that they could fall aasleep flushed with victory. [...] Later Pippi would demonstrate how he had cheated them. Nalene was angry, she felt he was playing with their lives as he played with hers. Pippi explained it was part of their education. She said it was not education but corruption. He said he wanted to prepare them for the reality of life, she wanted to prepare them for the beauty of life" (The Last Don pg 68)

I really like that last part: "he wanted to prepare them for the reality of life, she wanted to prepare them for the beauty of life"