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Comment by jonpaine | Hacker News Reader

A lottery ticket doesn't buy a chance, it buys a pleasant daydream. It buys a mental escape hatch. It buys the 'what would I do' game for another week.

A movie costs $12 in a theater for 2 hrs of enjoyment. A lottery ticket costs $1 for a week of intermittent enjoyment. For certain segments of the population, a lottery ticket is a downright bargain.

Math problems are easy. Real world problems are difficult.

As an aside, it's so important that people who care enough about a social challenge like the lottery/gambling addiction are able to find the ACTUAL root cause to address. I'm not blaming the LA Times. I LOVE content like this - and not all content needs a purpose. BUT - if the purpose was supposed to be helping people who play the lottery see their folly, this probably isn't the right tack.

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What do you think of http://lesswrong.com/lw/hl/lotteries_a_waste_of_hope/ and http://lesswrong.com/lw/hm/new_improved_lottery/?

I don't know what he thinks of it, but everyone should give these two pieces (especially the second one) a read. I was absolutely ready to hate it given the title of the first one (I, too, am in the "buying a dream" rationality camp), but the second piece especially was just too damn good.

We have lotteries that give you this hope over period of time (albeit shorter).

It's radio lotteries. You send them text (paid). And they pick few people to call back and to inform them that they won.

For the first article the "a sink of emotional energy" needs some proof that it's harmful. Without that it's just the author's opinion.

It's very easy to argue that the fantasy helps people de-stress and ends up improving their lives.

Studies have found that depressed people are better at estimating odds. There's decent evidence that too much reality is bad for your emotional well being.

The second article is even easier to dismiss. To generate excitement the buy in has to be high enough that people feel a bit invested, and the result has to be quick enough that people don't loose interest.

> A lottery ticket doesn't buy a chance, it buys a pleasant daydream. It buys a mental escape hatch. It buys the 'what would I do' game for another week.

Maybe for someone making six figures in the bay area.

In high school, I worked as a stock boy in a convenience/liquor store in a blue collar midwest town. It was obvious a large percentage of the buyers of lotto tickets really couldn't afford to do so.

It's not a popular opinion, but imho, the lottery is little more an government-sponsored exploration of the economically disadvantaged.

the lottery is little more an government-sponsored exploration of the economically disadvantaged

You probably meant "exploitation" rather than "exploration".

I've heard it phrased a little differently: The lottery is a voluntary tax on the stupid.

A slightly different phrasing: The lottery is a voluntary tax on the innumerate.

BTW I did purchase two Powerball tickets a few hours ago. Wish me luck!

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