The lottery has become a major part of American life. It has grown into a massive industry with dozens of state-run lotteries. In recent years, it has attracted attention for its alleged negative effects on low-income people and problem gamblers. The debate over the lottery has moved from whether or not it is a desirable enterprise to specific features of its operations and marketing strategies.
Lottery is an ancient practice that dates back centuries. Moses was instructed to use a lottery to divide land among the Israelites, and Roman emperors distributed property and slaves by lottery. In the United States, a number of public lotteries raised funds for various purposes, including the American Revolution and the founding of colleges. In addition, private lotteries grew rapidly in the early nineteenth century as a way to sell goods and properties for more than they could be obtained at auction.
New Hampshire introduced the modern state lottery in 1964, and it quickly inspired a dozen other states to establish their own. The growth of the lottery was fast and steady, and it is now present in virtually every state. Although the establishment of lotteries was a popular public policy initiative, the resulting industry has evolved in a manner that reveals many flaws in public policy making. Throughout the history of lotteries, officials often make decisions piecemeal, and the general welfare is taken into consideration only intermittently.
Lottery commissions promote two main messages — first, that playing the lottery is fun and second, that the chances of winning are very good. The first message is intended to appeal to the inextricable human urge to gamble, but it obscures the regressivity of the lottery and the fact that gambling is a costly habit. The second message is designed to keep people hooked on the game, and it is not very different from strategies employed by video-game companies or tobacco manufacturers.
In order to win the lottery, an individual must be able to rationally evaluate the expected utility of a monetary loss and the non-monetary benefits of play. If the entertainment value is high enough, the disutility of a monetary loss will be outweighed by the utility of a win. This is the reason why the lottery has become so addictive and why it is important for public policymakers to consider the psychological impact of the game. The short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson provides an excellent example of this phenomenon. Jackson uses a variety of characterization methods to create vivid images of the characters in the story. She develops the characters through their actions and the setting. For instance, the character of Mrs. Delacroix is shown as a determined woman with a quick temper and her action of picking the big rock demonstrates this. This characterization method helps readers to connect with the characters and understand their motives. It also makes the plot more interesting to read. For this reason, it is an essential technique for fiction writing.