It came to me in a dream

One time I dreamed that I knew the winning numbers for the next Canadian
national lottery (the 6/49). So I went out and bought a ticket, but it
didn't win. Perhaps there's a moral in there somewhere.

I never seem to dream about wizards on towers in moonlight or voices
from afar crying "Seek for a broken sword, etc." However, supposing
the lottery dream had also included a voice telling me,
"You may buy these numbers and win, but if you do then all your new
wealth will bring a awful Doom upon you."

I'm sure glad I didn't have a dream like that, because it would be
hard to turn down 25 million dollars. Of course, logically the same
certainty about winning would also apply to the doom... or would it?

I can't imagine feeling very happy the morning after the draw,
looking at the winning numbers that I could have bought, and trying
to convince myself that missing out on the big payoff also means
avoiding the terrible (but unspecified) fate.

No, I'd probably buy the ticket, trying to convince myself that
all that money wouldn't lead me astray. Then after I won I'd quit
my job, withdrawing my contribution to the Gross National Product
and become a mere consumer of other people's products and services.

Then I'd become lazy and not achieve very much more with my life.
This is already becoming an unpleasant outlook, even without turning
into a Nazgul or something. The money would give me power, but only
according to my stature. Believe me, I'm no Alexander the Great or
Henry Ford; I haven't trained my will to the domination of others.
So I'd probably just buy myself a new motorcycle and a few other toys
and go on a permanent vacation.

And in the end, what would I have after that to look back on and
celebrate? Not much perhaps. I might become like the Duke of Windsor
who spent the later part of his life (1936 to 1972) achieving nothing
particularly significant (apart from entertaining celebrities, writing
his memoirs, embarrassing the British Government and getting involved
in scandals). Wikipedia terms his life after WW2 "in retirement";
other sources less kind call him (and his Duchess) "social parasites".

Ironically, if I'd won the lottery 10 years ago I probably wouldn't
be on the interesting project I'm on now, working with earthquake
detection. Perhaps I'll even graduate to volcanoes.

Despite all this the urge to buy the ticket would be irresistible.
I'm sure I wouldn't have the strength of character not to.

Therefore I don't think I'd be a very good candidate for Ring-Bearer,
either. So if I'm ever in some cave and find some renegade Maiar's
Ruling Ring, it'll take more than a wizard to talk me into giving
it to my nephew, let alone dropping the thing into Mount Etna.

Sean_Q_

"Sean" <no.spam RemoveThis @no.spam> wrote in message
news:FBFuj.56644$Ly.42668@pd7urf1no...
> One time I dreamed that I knew the winning numbers for the next Canadian
> national lottery (the 6/49). So I went out and bought a ticket, but it
> didn't win. Perhaps there's a moral in there somewhere.
>
> I never seem to dream about wizards on towers in moonlight or voices
> from afar crying "Seek for a broken sword, etc." However, supposing
> the lottery dream had also included a voice telling me,
> "You may buy these numbers and win, but if you do then all your new
> wealth will bring a awful Doom upon you."
>
> I'm sure glad I didn't have a dream like that, because it would be
> hard to turn down 25 million dollars. Of course, logically the same
> certainty about winning would also apply to the doom... or would it?
>
> I can't imagine feeling very happy the morning after the draw,
> looking at the winning numbers that I could have bought, and trying
> to convince myself that missing out on the big payoff also means
> avoiding the terrible (but unspecified) fate.
>
> No, I'd probably buy the ticket, trying to convince myself that
> all that money wouldn't lead me astray. Then after I won I'd quit
> my job, withdrawing my contribution to the Gross National Product
> and become a mere consumer of other people's products and services.
>
> Then I'd become lazy and not achieve very much more with my life.
> This is already becoming an unpleasant outlook, even without turning
> into a Nazgul or something. The money would give me power, but only
> according to my stature. Believe me, I'm no Alexander the Great or
> Henry Ford; I haven't trained my will to the domination of others.
> So I'd probably just buy myself a new motorcycle and a few other toys
> and go on a permanent vacation.
>
> And in the end, what would I have after that to look back on and
> celebrate? Not much perhaps. I might become like the Duke of Windsor
> who spent the later part of his life (1936 to 1972) achieving nothing
> particularly significant (apart from entertaining celebrities, writing
> his memoirs, embarrassing the British Government and getting involved
> in scandals). Wikipedia terms his life after WW2 "in retirement";
> other sources less kind call him (and his Duchess) "social parasites".
>
> Ironically, if I'd won the lottery 10 years ago I probably wouldn't
> be on the interesting project I'm on now, working with earthquake
> detection. Perhaps I'll even graduate to volcanoes.
>
> Despite all this the urge to buy the ticket would be irresistible.
> I'm sure I wouldn't have the strength of character not to.
>
> Therefore I don't think I'd be a very good candidate for Ring-Bearer,
> either. So if I'm ever in some cave and find some renegade Maiar's
> Ruling Ring, it'll take more than a wizard to talk me into giving
> it to my nephew, let alone dropping the thing into Mount Etna.
>
> Sean_Q_

Yeah...what HE said...
Greg