...About The Tax On Stupid?

It has been far too long since I have put the proverbial pen to paper for this blog. Alas, college life has taken my time into a firm stranglehold and refuses to relent. My first semester back at a real college has kept me far busier than I had anticipated. Combine that with a lack of inspiration, and I’m left with barely any time to write blog posts and even fewer ideas for pieces in the first place.

I plan on summarizing my experience at U of L so far in another post to be written shortly, but this one is about something different. In the past, I have ignored the lottery. The odds of winning are, as is common knowledge, nothing short of astronomical. People were always ready with a witty comparison as soon as the subject was broached. You’re more likely to be struck by lightning. Twice. You might as well throw your $2 directly into a fire. I’ve even heard the lottery referred to as a tax on stupid. All of these were sentiments I readily agreed with. Until I didn’t.

I have recently reevaluated my position on playing the lottery, and I wanted to share why. Before I continue, though, take a minute and imagine your life were you to beat the odds and hit a jackpot. Think about all of the things you could do. Think about all of the things you wouldn’t have to do anymore. Think about the things you’d buy for yourself, and the things you’d buy for others. Think about all of the ways your life might change, good or bad.

Now, I don’t know about you guys, but when I underwent that little thought experiment, everything I could think of was overwhelmingly positive. I would buy the obvious things, of course. An exquisite house complete with a trampoline room and a home theater bigger than most peoples’ homes, and a few luxurious automobiles. Not having a need or desire to work a “normal” job, I would cease my schooling. I would settle all of my debts. I would start the teen center that I’ve had on my mind for some time now. I would take care of my friends and family. Not too shabby!

Now, consider those same things. How many of those things can be accomplished in the next five years? What about the next ten? Twenty? Fifty!? How many of those things can’t ever happen without spiking a lottery jackpot? In my case, my schooling will conclude with graduation and come with the added bonus of a large student loan debt. At that point, I will begin the glamorous career of a middle/high school teacher, a job that will surely grind me down over the years with little monetary compensation to make up for it. My doubts would be slowly chipped away at, slowly and over a long period of time. I would likely never have an exquisite house or a fancy car. My teen center will probably never become a reality, and my friends and family are going to be on their own more often than not.

All of that is the acceptable reality of the career path I have chosen. It may not be ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but working with kids can make all of that okay. I’ve found it to be truly profound, and I can imagine myself doing little else with my life. Given the face of all of that, though, how can anyone argue against playing the lottery? Two dollar a week is a minuscule, almost meaningless price to pay for a chance to live your dreams, however astronomically unlikely it may be.