A post by Maynard
It sure would be nice if money could buy happiness. Too bad it’s not that simple. Money is like fire. If you don’t have the maturity and wisdom and character to control it, it may destroy you. Even so, we all want it. And with valid reason: Money may be hazardous, but neither is salvation to be found in poverty.
Here’s an interesting story that’s the latest instance of an ancient tragedy. A petty criminal in England won the lotto, taking home more than $18 million (£9.7 million). So he turned his life around and lived happily ever after, right? No, not quite. As the UK Sun reports, the man (editorially referred to as “the lout”) blew through almost all the money in 3 years of wild orgies and booze and drugs and sex and every other imaginable indulgence. He lost his girlfriend and was taken advantage of by his other “friends”. And now he’s back in jail for “affray” (a fight or violent disturbance in a public place).
The “lout”, a.k.a. Mikey Carroll, has written (or had written on his behalf) this book, Careful What You Wish For. (This isn’t a recommendation that you buy it; just a note that it exists. Might make a nice gift for a friend who expresses a frequent wish to win the lottery. But they probably won’t appreciate it.)
Within the bounds of a relatively free society, the essential battles we face are often against our own demons. When those demons control our lives, no amount of good fortune can save us.
