Do you think winning the lottery would make you happy?

[Amelia G]

People play the lottery hoping to fix all that is wrong in their lives. Yet lottery winners commit suicide at a very high rate, far higher than the regular population, even the poverty-stricken population. Do you think winning the lottery would make you happy? If so, how would you avoid the pitfalls of lottery winners' depression and misery?

[malcolm]

no but i'd enjoy spending the money

[Aza]

I'm happy now. Winning the lottery would just be a bonus!

[OliX]

Ask me again when I win.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

Well, it wouldn't suck.

[Raza]

I'm already happy. It'd give me some interesting new venues to explore, though; help keep things moving, and keep them moving at a better pace.

[nathanmbailey]

I'd be happy, because I could piss off a lot of people by being the first person to actually donate most of it to charity (and get some seriously huge tax write-offs). I'd keep maybe 10 million, still live in a crappy apartment, drive my beat up old truck, and hang out with the same people. I'd just be buying more of the rounds.

[Mr Karl]

I'm not really sure what happiness is

[TheDeathKnight]

I'd be very happy.

I think the ones who are unhappy with their millions, are the ones who thought that just having tons of money would make them happy. That once they have their mansion, and ferarri, that life will be perfect. That everyone will like them, and all their problems will go away.

But money doesn't make you happy.

It just gives you the ability to do the things that you enjoy in life.

If you don't have a firm grasp on what makes you happy to begin with, then money won't help you.

[Amelia G]

I'd be happy, because I could piss off a lot of people by being the first person to actually donate most of it to charity (and get some seriously huge tax write-offs). I'd keep maybe 10 million, still live in a crappy apartment, drive my beat up old truck, and hang out with the same people. I'd just be buying more of the rounds.

I think never knowing whether someone was hanging out with me out of affection/enjoyment or a desire for free booze would make me kinda bugged.

[Valerian Reign]

People play the lottery hoping to fix all that is wrong in their lives. Yet lottery winners commit suicide at a very high rate, far higher than the regular population, even the poverty-stricken population. Do you think winning the lottery would make you happy? If so, how would you avoid the pitfalls of lottery winners' depression and misery?

I am happy now. I would be happier with the money. Xavia and I wouldn't have to live in a mediocre apartment in Maine. We could have better clothes and better sex because we could actually buy some furniture and some neat toys and books. We'd have better makeup and better personal care products and our better fashion and acessories would make us more physically attractive. I mean, we are happy, but having lots of money would make our lives a lot easier and therefore more fun.

Let's face, it. Most people don't know how to enjoy life. Giving people even more money to not enjoy life with is enabling the problem. You have to know how to live to know how to enjoy that money.

[suicidal_tendencies]

i dont think it would make me happy per se. knowing that all my bills are paid off and my kids are set for the future would completley make life alot easier. blowing it would really be nice tho, but when it comes to something like that i think you have to be logical.

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

I heard it said that money can't buy happiness, but poor sure can buy a lot of misery.

Would a few million dollars make me happy? No, but all the stuff I would do with the money sure would.

I think what kills a lot of lottery winners is a combination of a couple things. An unrealistic expectation of what money can buy, and the fact that you will loose some friends. But to be honest, people have taken advantage of me when I had a lot less than millions and I think what I want to do with the money is mundane and realistic, so happiness could ensue.

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

Or, to quote Dorothy Parker, I've never been a millionaire but I just know I'd be darling at it.

[helcyon]

Unequivocably, incontravertably, yes.

I heard it said that money can't buy happiness, but poor sure can buy a lot of misery.

As I've said here before: It can buy a better class of unhappiness.

[nathanmbailey]

I think never knowing whether someone was hanging out with me out of affection/enjoyment or a desire for free booze would make me kinda bugged.

Doesn't bother me any. Usually the only reason I go to the bar is so I'm not drinking alone in a barracks room. Even if I'm not socializing at the bar, I'm still there with people and thus not alone, which makes my like much less sad.

[Dusk]

Well Id probably fix the house where I live. My main goal at the moment is to get a motorcycle license and bike, so I can work where I was offered a job doing what I love. So the money wouldn't make me happy, but It would make life easier and enable me to do what I want to do.

[inox]

I think most people win the lottery and just look to have a bigger, fancier version of the life they're already leading. Usually they pour most of the money back into the system before too long, and then belatedly realize that they have insufficient income to regain it at the pace that they've been spending.

Also, I think people in the US often define success by ownership of personal and real property. However, I've always placed far greater value on the experiences that I'm able to have. Sitting around surrounded by goods, in my giant house, is likely to decrease my happiness, as I now have more to worry about, clean, keep track of, etc. However, more cash to eat at restaurants, travel, attend events, take up activities that interest me, and otherwise make excellent memories (all the while not having to work) would definitely spike my glee.

Ergo, if I won the lottery, I'd make sure to set up diversified accounts and funds so that I'd have a decently large, steady stream of cash. Then, I'd be free from handling the tasks of others (work), and would be able to do as I pleased.

I am a minimalist now, but having large sums of cash always flowing in would allow me to own even less...which is exactly what I would do.

[Bikerpunk]

See, I already know that when someone is hanging out with me, they're doing it cause they want something.

So winning the lottery would not change this.

It would, however, enable me to pay my bills off and provide really well for my kids, so bring it on.

[Pull~My~Hair]

oh yeah..it would make life much more comfortable, thats for sure. I would remain anonymous though. I'd put it in the bank and live off of the interest.

[Morning Glory]

hell yes, i'd never have to work again. If I didn't have to pay for rent and food - well actually, shit, just rent, cuz that takes up 200% of my income - then i'd be set.

other than that, my life is great, if I had a place to keep my shit and a yard so I could build a mini-ramp, it would be the glory days.

[LeilaHazlett]

Fuck yes! Eating ramen noddles in an apartment with no heat while the roof leeks onto my sofa is pretty god-damn depressing. I don't believe money buys happiness but when the biggest stress in you life is lack of money it can really help.

I think most people who are unhappy or kill themselves after winning the lottery are the ones who don't understand how to budget their money and just blow it all right away. You have to realize winning the lottery is a lot like being MC Hammer. You had your shot and you made a bunch of money but you have to realize it aint gonna happen again.

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

Unequivocably, incontravertably, yes.



As I've said here before: It can buy a better class of unhappiness.

I am gonna have to add that one to the arsenal.

[mystoo]

Of course it would. If it was at least a few million. I could take care of my friends and family and spend the rest of my life traveling, which is basically all I really want to do anyway.

[keiko]

The winnings would certainly help me solve a lot of my current financial problems, alleviate a lot of my stress and allow me to set up a permanent base of operations. Obviously I'd pay off my debts, gift a bunch of it to the people who have gone out of their way for me over the years. And then I'd turn the base of operations into a home for all the kitties that need homes.

~K

[Amelia G]

The lottery is not that much money. Most lotteries have jackpots where an individual would be getting a remarkably HUGE win if they got $5 million. Most jackpots are split among multiple winners e.g. the recent $76 million California lottery jackpot which was split among 15 people. Jackpots are paid in 26 annual installments and you have to pay taxes on them. So it is a lot of money to get without grinding out work every day, but it is much less than all the moochers you know will feel like it is and your name and likeness gets used in publicity when you win, so people you know are likely to be aware you won. You can get an immediate payout for a bit over half the winning amount and there are companies which will buy your annual payouts from you for a reduced amount. Many lottery winners go for one of these options in order to be able to buy all the things others ask them for.

Honestly, I'd love to feel less money pressure, but I often feel like my life is turning out a lot like I won the lottery. There are all these people who wish they managed to get the things I have, but those things are less than they believe for someone living it, and they end up being a wall to intimacy and a magnet for leeches and haters. People I once loved very much will give me the old "I wish I had your problems" and, maybe so, but that doesn't make problems not be problems. I kind of miss living in a group house and eating ramen and feeling like my pals were all on the same team.

[Amelia G]

Hmm, looks like Mega Millions often has a win of around $20 million with an actual payout of around $12 million and is often won by groups of people, but occasionally they have one go unclaimed and occasionally they will have a $100+ million win.

[mystoo]

In Canada you don't pay taxes on lottery winnings
I think the last huge one here was a few weeks ago. It was 48 million split between 4 people or something. Lucky buggers.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

Wow! Such long explanations for "Having money makes everything simpler and if you don't think so, then you don't derserve shit."

[Amelia G]

Wow! Such long explanations for "Having money makes everything simpler and if you don't think so, then you don't derserve shit."

I don't think anyone is saying that.

In my opinion, whether one is informed about how money works doesn't really make a person deserving or undeserving of the things they want in life. Speaking only for myself, I'm going to say money makes some things easier and some things harder and it definitely does not make things simpler overall. That said, I wouldn't mind if the economy does pick up and things were a bit greener.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

I don't think anyone is saying that.

In my opinion, whether one is informed about how money works doesn't really make a person deserving or undeserving of the things they want in life. Speaking only for myself, I'm going to say money makes some things easier and some things harder and it definitely does not make things simpler overall. That said, I wouldn't mind if the economy does pick up and things were a bit greener.

Welll...I am drunk, but are you saying that if someone came up to you right now and just handed you a 5 million dollars, you'd say. "No. Because it doesn't make my life simpler" Or would you say, "Thank you very much. I'm off to paying off my debt and and investing in things that I'd like to help enhance my living".?

Why else would you like the economy to pick up?

Because...In the end...If you keep your wits about you, life is always made simpler when an abundance of cash is involved....If you keep your wits about you.

[Amelia G]

Welll...I am drunk, but are you saying that if someone came up to you right now and just handed you a 5 million dollars, you'd say. "No. Because it doesn't make my life simpler" Or would you say, "Thank you very much. I'm off to paying off my debt and and investing in things that I'd like to help enhance my living".?

Why else would you like the economy to pick up?

Because...In the end...If you keep your wits about you, life is always made simpler when an abundance of cash is involved....If you keep your wits about you.

I'd absolutely take the money. I've already fucked all my original lives beyond recognition, so there'd be nothing to protect by taking a pass. If possible, I'd be wise not point out to people that I got it though, but it probably would not make much difference. I've already got all the leeches who suck up to me trying to get things out of me and all the haters who wish they were me and already lost all the bad weather friends who only wanted to hang out with me when I had what to complain about in terms of a ramen diet etc. And I ain't that paid. I'd probably even go for the lesser lump sum option, so I could immediately invest the dough in media projects and real estate. Life may be made better by resources, but it is not made simpler.

I've been rich and I've been poor and either way it is good to have money.

[Pull~My~Hair]

the powerball gets pretty big. The biggest jackpot was 365 mil
although a lot of people have won 500 mil by doing the power play multiplier

we always put in a buck each at work when the jackpot gets up there.
I heard about this one company having everyone put in a dime and they won.

[Amelia G]

the powerball gets pretty big. The biggest jackpot was 365 mil
although a lot of people have won 500 mil by doing the power play multiplier

we always put in a buck each at work when the jackpot gets up there.
I heard about this one company having everyone put in a dime and they won.

Apparently a lot of the time a company wins. I guess it makes sense if people increase their odds, even if it decreases their payout. Actually, that would be incredibly awesome if I and everyone I know all got like half a million bucks. The group ticket buy both increases odds of winning and decreases odds of being alienated from your pals when you win because everybody around you wins then.

[OliX]

Well... everybody around you wins anyway

[Pull~My~Hair]

Apparently a lot of the time a company wins. I guess it makes sense if people increase their odds, even if it decreases their payout. Actually, that would be incredibly awesome if I and everyone I know all got like half a million bucks. The group ticket buy both increases odds of winning and decreases odds of being alienated from your pals when you win because everybody around you wins then.

I always always always put in for the whole bar if im the only one working when the waitresses collect for it. I would feel so horrible if I won and the other two bartenders didnt.

[toxicat]

I won't lie, I wouldn't mind winning...but yes, the evidence points to misery.

[bohoki]

i would be happy for a while