Today's reminder came into my mind when I was checking the current jackpots available in Finnish lotteries. The "normal" Finnish lottery makes you 1100000 euros richer if you check the 7 lucky numbers right tomorrow, but is nothing when comparing it to all Scandinavian, Viking Lotto with
9 900 000 euro jackpot to fulfill even your craziest dreams! Wether your dream is to be a space cowboy or finally winning your neighbour in "who has the biggest lawn mover of the block" - it's possible with this amount of money.
Actually this is one of my favourite subjects through out time. I love that "what would you do if you won in the lottery" -question. I've loved it since I was a little girl! And it was a lot easier to reply when I was 6 years: "First, I would buy a pony, then a cockerspaniel..no, make it two cockerspaniels and 10000 kilos of candy!"
Believe it or not, it's a lot harder nowadays - as a grown up. Sure, I know what I would want: Travel, travel, travel, with sunny beaches and blue ocean whenever I feel like it, amazing car, a jacuzzi, king size Hästens and I would like to start my own company! No matter how silly my products would be, I would have the money to even try making a business out of them. But do you realize how many other grown up's are now looking at me and only waiting when the charity speech starts: "Oh, that's all sounds very nice dear, but it's all for yourself! wouldn't you want to help your friends and family as well and maybe make this world a better place with your money??" And believe me I DO. I would instantly share the money with my parents and siblings, fly my friends to Mauritius and through them a huge party with all the food and drinks they want, donate money for windmill power plants, animal care organizations, poor children in Africa and a nice cheque for Finnish people in need as well!
But nothing would be enough for other people if they know, you have won the lottery. Sharing the money with parents, siblings and friends wouldn't be enough for everybody. Oh no, all of a sudden a former relative you haven't seen since your christening calls and want to be a part of your life again "after all this years he/she has missed you". Your second cousins, neighbours, people you went school with, all would want to be a part of your happiness. "Alright, why not?", you think and give them each let say..500 euros. Pretty nice money from out of the blue isn't it? You would think they would be grateful for the money they could use for an amazing evening in a good restaurant for example. But that's not realism, they would blame you for being too greedy! "Only 500 euros, didn't you just won over 1 million?!" Then you realize nothing, no amount of money would ever replace the envy people feel for you. They are not happy for you anymore, they think you're selfish and changed because of all this money. After some time, the most bitter "friends and relatives", fade out of your life.
What about your career? Of course you would invest some of the money wisely, maybe even keep your day job. But where's the thrill now? Even if you would have the best business idea in the world and it would break through, you would already have everything. There wouldn't be any real change in your daily life. And people might think you just got everything easy now because of the millions, nobody thinks you've made it because you're amazing in the job you do. "Boss, we made 1000 new orders yesterday! Or maybe you don't care now as you're already rich.." Or would you?
It's obvious anybody's life would change tremendously if they would win the lottery (unless they're already rich, you silver-spoon-in-a-mouth born bastards!) But would that anybody be willing to accept the fortunes which come with other people's envy and endless greed over you money - and the possibility, you loose the thrill of pursue a goal in your life?
After all this, is there any point of filling a lottery coupon tomorrow with my numbers? Do I even want to be rich and accept the fact my life would never be the same again...? Emm..Maybe I wouldn't want to change anything..NOT! You bet I do!! My parents, siblings and friends would get part of the fortune and the envy other people..You can take the 500 euros or leave it. What ever, send your hatred fax to my office..I'll be in Mauritius :)
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti