Keller @ Large: Is Great Wealth Really Worth It?
BOSTON (CBS) - I'll be honest, I'm not much of a gambler. Other than an occasional coffee bet over something with a colleague, I tend not to play the lottery or go to casinos, unless my favorite band is playing there.
But even I will be buying a Powerball ticket, now that the jackpot has climbed over $400 million for Wednesday night's drawing. Even after you give most of it to the IRS, that is still quite a pile of dough. And like anybody else, the thought of a windfall like that is enough to touch off some serious daydreaming.
What would you do with a jackpot like that?
I think most people would want to take care of family and friends, give generously to charity, and then indulge in a few luxuries. For me, a first-class seat anytime I fly and a car with a driver for when I'm home would wipe out quite a few of my longest-running pet peeves.
But the history of big lottery-jackpot winners is littered with sad stories of people whose lives were ruined by all that money. It can change you and change the way people relate to you in some very unpleasant ways. The Bible doesn't call money the root of all evil for no good reason.
So maybe the real value of the Powerball jackpot isn't the jackpot itself, but the conversation it provokes.
It gets us thinking about the good and bad aspects of great wealth, which can lead to a worthwhile discussion - externally or internally - about what our personal values really are.
Not a bad return on your $2 investment. And there's one thing I can say for sure - even if I win it all tonight, I'd keep my job.
