General Discussion

davidthegnome

(2,983 posts)

32. Harmless fantasy for almost everyone

Reply to Gravitycollapse (Original post)

Sun May 19, 2013, 08:03 AM

May 2013

What's wrong with dreaming? For a family down on their luck, working hard and barely getting by... it might just be the dream of suddenly winning big that helps them make it through their day. Would you deprive them of that? I sure wouldn't.

It's not a matter of deserving it, rarely do people ever get what they deserve, good or bad. The lotto is like a one in however many million chance that you just might finally have freedom from your job, from your mountain of debt, your mortgage... whatever.

The fantasy is harmless - and in some cases might be what helps people get through the day. I do not think that the lotto is such a big issue - though I do like your idea of giving a dollar to charity instead of using it to buy a lottery ticket - or maybe giving a dollar to charity every time you buy one... if everyone did that, a whole lot of people might get lucky.

I don't buy lotto tickets, because I realize my chances of winning are so small that it would be a waste of money for me - and I don't have enough to waste. No, I don't deserve six hundred million dollars... hell yes, I'd take it anyway.

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You don't deserve 600,000,000 dollars. [View all] Gravitycollapse May 2013 OP

That's odd. I always thought I deserved 600,000,000 dollars DFW May 2013 #1

You don't deserve 600,000,000 dollars. No one person deserves that kind of fortune. Gravitycollapse May 2013 #2

Lighten up, Francis DFW May 2013 #4

So we don't have the right to say that people deserve medical care? Or shelter? Or food? Gravitycollapse May 2013 #10

You were on about money, not medical care, shelter or food DFW May 2013 #14

Agree 100% n/t ChazII May 2013 #102

I have arthritis, Rincewind May 2013 #113

Paying a buck or two for the fantasy seems innocent enough, Ron Green May 2013 #3

Yes. The Koch brothers are the ones who don't deserve $600 million. SharonAnn May 2013 #136

all I wanted to win was $100,000 hfojvt May 2013 #5

Yes, I'd prefer smaller payouts but many more winners. SharonAnn May 2013 #64

there were perhaps five or six who did win $100,000 hfojvt May 2013 #82

That's cause with the big prize, it's actually a good investment jeff47 May 2013 #100

except that is nonsense hfojvt May 2013 #108

Uh, yes I do. Morning Dew May 2013 #6

Oh geez... RudynJack May 2013 #7

For a few bucks you get to fantasize about being part of the 1%. Gravitycollapse May 2013 #9

Right...because any one of us winning Powerball instantly turns us into Romney-esque asshats? Roland99 May 2013 #22

why do some people get such a kick RudynJack May 2013 #89

Precisely Sherman A1 May 2013 #13

it used to be called 'the numbers racket' and the mafia ran it. now the government does. HiPointDem May 2013 #8

Yeah... Volaris May 2013 #50

Until you win. bike man May 2013 #11

I didn't deserve it, but I won it!!!!!!!!!!! LeftInTX May 2013 #12

Those pesky typos--they'll get you every time DFW May 2013 #16

Tut tut cluck cluck DainBramaged May 2013 #15

Jeez, thanks for bitterly condemning me for something I don't even have. Lemons & vinegar good night NBachers May 2013 #17

Lottery SamKnause May 2013 #18

This. nt Tree-Hugger May 2013 #137

+1 freshwest May 2013 #140

Yes. The Lottery is a tax on people that suck at math. alphafemale May 2013 #19

You need to do more math then jeff47 May 2013 #101

No. There is not. alphafemale May 2013 #103

Yes, there is. This is math, not a morality play. jeff47 May 2013 #106

nahhhh. alphafemale May 2013 #109

I get your point mick063 May 2013 #20

I think the same thing every week when someone else wins the big one... Violet_Crumble May 2013 #21

for some reason your post really made me laugh. KittyWampus May 2013 #85

Yes, I do! In_The_Wind May 2013 #23

It doesn't sound too bad now unreadierLizard May 2013 #24

people DO do that. you hear them saying teachers are making too much. ejpoeta May 2013 #115

People who say that are idiots. unreadierLizard May 2013 #120

I agree with you. Just pointing out that folks are already doing that with everyday folks. ejpoeta May 2013 #122

Gambling is about as natural among human beings . . . MrModerate May 2013 #25

I know but we still buy tickets when we can malaise May 2013 #26

If one has 4 million dollars, they are the 1% graham4anything May 2013 #27

That fixation ain't healthy. 2ndAmForComputers May 2013 #93

I agree Gravitycollapse fasttense May 2013 #28

Sourpus madokie May 2013 #29

Or a sore loser. kentauros May 2013 #124

Trying to enforce economic justice leads to massive poverty. Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #30

Reminds me of what the little old lady said here in TX a few years back. hobbit709 May 2013 #31

Harmless fantasy for almost everyone davidthegnome May 2013 #32

Why don't we have lotteries that give away 600 $1 million prizes? reformist2 May 2013 #33

I like that idea davidthegnome May 2013 #38

True - they might not bring in as many dollars if the prizes weren't so eye-popping. reformist2 May 2013 #39

Here too. davidthegnome May 2013 #46

I agree. I'd probably buy a ticket in that case. The odds seem better CJCRANE May 2013 #42

I just addressed this downthread laundry_queen May 2013 #52

There are lots of lotteries, most with much smaller prizes Progressive dog May 2013 #53

I like that as well. n/t OneGrassRoot May 2013 #55

That would wreck about 550 families FarCenter May 2013 #67

Powerball winners in particular tend to get especially wrecked, don't they? Posteritatis May 2013 #74

19 Lottery Winners Who Blew It All FarCenter May 2013 #86

For whatever reason defacto7 May 2013 #105

It's a voluntary tax that comes with a dream. pintobean May 2013 #34

Well said, bean! Bake May 2013 #133

Well, there is a difference between the two krispos42 May 2013 #35

Would I deserve it if .... ? Autumn Colors May 2013 #36

I hope you win it! defacto7 May 2013 #110

I might not deserve it ornotna May 2013 #37

So don't participate. Earth_First May 2013 #40

Completely voluntary. YarnAddict May 2013 #41

Your ticket wasn't a winner? There you go. MineralMan May 2013 #43

You must not be the winner... ileus May 2013 #44

wait till YOU win. spanone May 2013 #45

Who deserves anything? By what metric is this determined? Orrex May 2013 #47

By what metric? By someone else's moral compass, always. DRoseDARs May 2013 #90

I don't know if it's sour grapes or not... defacto7 May 2013 #111

I don't play lotto. It has no amusement value to me. backscatter712 May 2013 #48

I am not a regular lottery ticket buyer, but will do so on occasion. It's my choice. Fla Dem May 2013 #49

I realize how interesting this is laundry_queen May 2013 #51

It's interesting how you tell this story defacto7 May 2013 #112

Another big difference between Canadian and US lotteries is the issue of taxes. kentauros May 2013 #127

Yeah, I'm not sure how that works laundry_queen May 2013 #131

It certainly doesn't make sense with regards to efficiency. kentauros May 2013 #132

They do now laundry_queen May 2013 #134

I don't know if they do that in this country or not. kentauros May 2013 #135

It's easy to despise that which is out of your reach Nimajneb Nilknarf May 2013 #54

It's gambling LittleBlue May 2013 #56

What about people who don't have a buck to gamble? Heidi May 2013 #62

Gambling isn't about fairness LittleBlue May 2013 #68

The OP is about deserving. (nt) Heidi May 2013 #70

The Giveaway Zorra May 2013 #57

What Zorra Said... Tace May 2013 #88

One of the Geissler tubes in the flux capacitor on the DeLorean wore out. Zorra May 2013 #99

100% agree. freshwest May 2013 #143

Our five tickets cost us less than two movie tickets. NaturalHigh May 2013 #58

Outlaw Las Vegas, Wall Street, and other Black Hole Casinos! bvar22 May 2013 #59

I sure as fuck do. Iggo May 2013 #60

I've seen little evidence that the concept of "deserving" is even remotely valid. Heidi May 2013 #61

In a related story, nobody deserves to be murdered, or raped, or run down by a drunk driver, or ... 11 Bravo May 2013 #63

Oh, for fucks sake. A HERETIC I AM May 2013 #65

Will Munny: "Deserve's got nothin' to do with it." FarCenter May 2013 #66

Whatever. roamer65 May 2013 #69

No state income taxes in FL. No local either. A HERETIC I AM May 2013 #71

They still pay almost 40% pct in federal income tax. roamer65 May 2013 #73

As I said, 39.6 is currently the highest bracket.... A HERETIC I AM May 2013 #75

There is one thing I would like to see changed. roamer65 May 2013 #96

You DO deserve a Dream. Lady Freedom Returns May 2013 #72

I agree. roamer65 May 2013 #76

Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math. The Velveteen Ocelot May 2013 #77

The lottery is like a tax on the poor. Jamaal510 May 2013 #78

I agree. Travis_0004 May 2013 #81

This thread is stupid... Aviation Pro May 2013 #79

Yeah $600m is way too much. edbermac May 2013 #80

Its voluntary wercal May 2013 #83

AWWWWWWWWWWwwwwww... You didn't win? ScreamingMeemie May 2013 #84

Well said Uzair May 2013 #87

A STRICTLY VOLUNTARY tax. But, thanks for playing. cherokeeprogressive May 2013 #92

I agree... a strictly voluntary tax where I have remote chance to become rich. roamer65 May 2013 #94

I do too because I'll buy Fox news and fire the whole fucking crew tularetom May 2013 #91

Great idea! roamer65 May 2013 #95

i would buy a mountain top fortress, every luxury i could get loli phabay May 2013 #97

Of course I do. No one deserves it more than I. MrSlayer May 2013 #98

We don't deserve it *more* than you, but... demwing May 2013 #142

Sorry, who the fuck are you again? flvegan May 2013 #104

There's nothing wrong with paying a couple of bucks for a dream.... defacto7 May 2013 #107

call me when it's a billion dollar jackpot. nt TeamPooka May 2013 #114

Then don't play the lottery, and you won't risk the fate of winning money you don't deserve Freddie Stubbs May 2013 #116

Is this your reaction from your numbers not matching. NCTraveler May 2013 #117

Well said. kentuck May 2013 #118

Oh good grief! HappyMe May 2013 #119

I think he deserves it more than many of the ultra rich who got it via Javaman May 2013 #121

So you didn't win? Sissyk May 2013 #123

As much as I think lotteries are cons, I also think I lack the ethical super-powers... LanternWaste May 2013 #125

It's a legal, speculative investment OmahaBlueDog May 2013 #126

Are you not coming back to your OP? snooper2 May 2013 #128

Unfortunately, the government wil get will more than half of it Ter May 2013 #129

I find all the comments on DU from Monday morning lottery losers interesting. liberal N proud May 2013 #130

The lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math. /nt Marr May 2013 #138

Bullshit. Speak for yourself. demwing May 2013 #139

Whoever has the winning ticket does. Dreamer Tatum May 2013 #141