Lesson 6: Compulsory Blog Entry

Lotteries have been called a tax on the poor. Ultimately at only a dollar or two a ticket, anyone can play the lotteries. However, many people become addicted to buying tickets and they can cause family/maritial problems. Discuss this topic with a parent and get their biew on lotteries and specifically lotteries in Singapore. Include at least one quote from an adult, one quote or reference from either an NPR presesntation or Youtube Video in your discussion.

I have chosen to condemn the lotteries. In lotteries, what are your chances of winning? It is so low, that you might as well not gamble. But the thing is, its in our genetic makeup to take risks. If not, we would still be stuck in that cave somewhere in North America. Humans like to take risks. Especially with gains as high as those in the lotteries in Singapore, people just have to try their luck.

BUT, there is also this part of our brain that controls what we do. People that gamble know that it is bad, but they just say
" Its only $2 a ticket, never mind lar."
They keep forgetting- $2 X 100 would already have amounted to $200. The Singapore Pools ( Gambling Authorities) allow you to place bets of different amounts ranging from $2 to $50. Most of the people place only $2. But they bet at least 4 times a week. So, over the months, years of continous betting. It can amount up to massive amounts of money spent on betting.
The question is, DID YOU WIN ANYTHING? A quote from a lady who has maneged to stop her compulsive gambling habits. When asked "do you have any idea how much you lost in gambling?" Her horrific reply was "i lost $300,00 to gambling". Her entire retirement savings. This is an example how much gambling can take from you, and how little it returns.

IN the world of gambling, the chances of winning is set at a minimum. So, no human, no mortal can actually win many times. If you have won once in your lifetime. You are counted as some what lucky. People get desperate after losing too many times. Which make them resort to desperate means. Consulting the supernatural, superstition, and many other wierd ways to draw in "luck".

WHAT a desperate man can do is beyond comprehension of any psychologist. Its another genetic driving force pre-programmed into our consciousness, activated only when neccessary. Its the manual override button, which would make you do absolutely anything to succeed. They can become extremely superstitious, change their entire lifetyle to draw in luck and so on and so forth.

GAMBLING is very addictive. Once you look at the winnings ( forget winning, its nearly impossible) you feel the want for the money. Every single '0' behind the first-digit is like a magnet drawing you into the abyss of compulsive gambling. Like any strong whirlpool, you will need to fight extremely hard to get out.

CONCLUSION: Gambling is bad, so please. For heaven's sake, for your family's sake, for your spouse's sake. Don't gamble. Like my mother used to say," You don't want to gamble your life away."