I see that, and it is totally acceptable to truly view poker as a hobby and "invest" your bankroll (or say 100$ a month if you're a losing player) in it just like a golfer invests in green fees, clubs and what have you.

But regardless if you play for fun, profit, or something in between (which is where I think most of the FTR'ers, myself included, are at), it's got to be more fun playing at a higher level if you have the money? Just like a golfer is likely to move to a more difficult course (isn't he? I don't play golf, maybe I should have picked a different analogy but meh) to get the adrenaline and challenge, I would think a poker player would profit both fun-wise and cash-wise by moving up (especially one who has proven that he can beat the lower game consistently).