What Dreams Are Made Of

IN THE DAYS and years following the American revolution and the creation of the United States of America, there was no national economy, no widely circulating american currency, each state was pretty much on its own economically, and, because of the expense of the revolution, in debt. As late as the 1830s English currency was still being circulated. Lotteries were implemented by the various states in order to raise public revenue through what was essentially voluntary taxation, and were quite popular and effective. However, "The Great Awakening", a faddish explosion of moralistic religious fervor which began in the 1840s and continued to the Civil War, inspired a moral backlash against state run lotteries; the evils of gambling had infected government, and must be exorcised. Lotteries were abandoned for a hundred and fifty years. About thirty years ago they reappeared, as states and politicians needed tax revenue but were reluctant to push for higher taxes in an already tax heavy, cash strapped culture. So far, so good. Its worked out pretty well. Most states have lotteries now, they raise a lot of money, millions of people happily buy lottery tickets, and the prizes are gigantic, and becoming ever more gigantic, thanks to increased participation and higher lottery ticket prices. Who knows, it might even be possible to tap into the american dream of quick riches through gambling to finance government at all levels, eventually.. A government operating entirely with voluntary taxation! The only real problem? The lives of people who win lotteries are disrupted and damaged enormously, almost universally. Seldom has anyone ever won a lottery and remained happy for long, studies consistantly reveal. The most recent example of this is the poor man who won a lottery in New Jersey a few weeks ago. He and his wife, with their solid blue collar jobs and modest but happy lifestyle, became instant celebrities when the four million dollars rolled in, and at first they enjoyed it, but it quickly turned sour, as it does for everyone.(there is a reason people like Britney Spears and Alec Baldwin seek fame, then end up hiding from cameras, and become violent when unable to hide). The poor man in New Jersey, just a good ole boy with a log beard,a pick up, camo fatigues, and shotgun, who looks like he belongs in Wyoming, has had enough of the celebrity, the long lost friends and relatives suddenly reappearing out of nowhere, the strangers with offers and plans knocking on the door, the works. He is just plain sick and tired of it. In several states it is legal to claim lottery prises anonymously, and those who are smart do just that. It probably should be legal to do so in all states, but isn't for some reason, making instant celebrities of lottery winners, whehter they want to be or not. Most think they do, at first. The irresistable belief that money can buy happiness through material aquisition is always replaced by the inevitable awareness that it cannot, usually after bankruptcy. Most lottery winners end up bankrupt, through overspending. You can almost see how it works. Day one is terribly exciting, but day two is slightly less so, and day three even less. So the spending starts, in an attempt to keep the adrenaline flowing. But that has to stop, eventually, and it does, usually in a spasm of bankruptcy, depression, and confusion. The best option, say experts, is to not buy lottery tickets, because winning is a near impossibility. But that wouldn't be any fun, would it? That leaves two choices. One, throw a little money away, hope and dream for a few minutes, then move on. The other option is to win big money, feel higher than a kite for a few weeks, thn crash and burn. We all like to think that we will be the one to handle sudden big money well, even as nobody else seems able to. But then, that's what dreams are made of.