The Lottery and Modern Society


A lottery is a form of gambling in which tickets are sold for the chance to win money or goods. The word lottery comes from the Latin loteria, which means “divided by lot.” Lotteries have been around for thousands of years and are found all over the world. Some governments regulate the games, while others endorse and promote them. While some people enjoy playing the games, others find them dangerous and harmful.

One of the central themes in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery is the influence of tradition over modern society. The story takes place in a fictional village where the women are subservient to men, and there are many traditions that govern behavior. It is important to understand the historical and social context in which the story was written to better analyze the theme.

The word lottery is thought to come from the Old Testament, where God instructs Moses to take a census and divide the land by lot. The practice also appears in Roman history, where emperors gave away property and slaves by lot. It was later introduced to the United States by British colonists, and it generated mixed reactions from Christians. Eventually, ten states banned the games from 1844 to 1859.

Today, state-sponsored lotteries generate huge sums of money for state governments. To maximize revenues, they have expanded beyond traditional games to include new games and aggressive advertising campaigns. As a result, some people have expressed concern that the proliferation of the games has led to negative consequences for poor and problem gamblers. Others have argued that government at all levels should not be in the business of running a gambling operation, and that it should leave this to private enterprises.

One argument used in support of the lotteries is that they provide a source of revenue without raising taxes. However, studies show that the popularity of the lottery is not related to a state’s fiscal condition. In fact, the lotteries have gained wide public approval even when states are financially healthy.

The message lottery commissions are relying on now is that it’s a good thing to play, and that you should feel like you did your civic duty by purchasing a ticket. This reframes the issue, but it also obscures the fact that lotteries are regressive and can have a significant impact on low-income households. In addition, it promotes the idea that gambling is a recreational activity, which obscures the serious problems that many people have with it. This is a dangerous message that should be rethought. Instead, the government should focus on reducing the barriers to economic opportunity and helping people get ahead. In other words, it should work to help people earn money honestly, not through a lottery. This is the only way to avoid encouraging the kind of behavior that leads to financial disaster: Proverbs 24:24. Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. – James 1:14. Copyright 2019 The Atlantic Monthly.