The lottery is a form of gambling where players pay for tickets to be entered into a drawing to win prizes. It is a popular way to gamble and it contributes billions of dollars annually to Americans’ budgets. While it may seem like fun to play, the odds of winning are very low. Many people lose their money and end up in a debt spiral. It is important to know the risks before you play. Despite this, Americans spend more than $80 Billion on lotteries every year. This is money that could be better spent on a rainy day fund or paying off credit card debt.
Shirley Jackson’s story The Lottery tells the story of a small town where people are gathered in the village square to participate in the lottery. The narrator describes the black box, which is a symbol of tradition conferred by the sense that it contains the original “lottery paraphernalia.” The villagers have a strong respect for this box and feel a bond to it.
After the hushed crowd gathers, Mr. Summers begins the lottery by reading names and letting the heads of families select paper slips from a basket. The narrator suggests that the older men and women have done this for years. Old Man Warner scoffs at the notion that younger people are abandoning the ritual, arguing that it is crucial for a productive community and a good harvest.
Once the villagers have selected their papers, Mr. Summers reads the name of a person who has chosen the unfortunate ticket. A general sigh is let out when little Dave’s paper is found to be blank and Nancy and Bill, Tessie’s children, open theirs to reveal that they are also blank. Tessie then opens hers to reveal a black spot that identifies her as the winner of the lottery.
When people talk about “winning the lottery,” they mean winning a large sum of money. This amount is typically invested in an annuity, meaning that the winners receive a lump sum when they win and 29 annual payments over three decades. In the rare case that a winner does hit it big, they will likely have to pay significant taxes, and may not be able to keep all of their money.
In this way, the lottery has become a way for governments to raise revenue without raising taxes on the middle and working classes. In the early post-World War II period, states were able to expand their social safety nets by using the proceeds from lotteries. However, as the economy shifted to high inflation and increasing inequality, this arrangement began to collapse.
There are a number of problems with the way in which the lottery works today. One of the biggest problems is that lotteries have become more about entertainment and marketing than about ensuring that the money is used for its intended purpose. This is reflected in the fact that most of the money collected from ticket sales goes toward the administrative costs of running the lottery, rather than towards the prize funds. Another problem with the lottery is that it can be addictive and regressive.
The post The Risks of Playing the Lottery appeared first on evilkittenproductions.