So What Would You Do?

Recently, seven New York state workers each pitched in $2 to buy a lottery ticket.  Little did they know at the time the true meaning of the phrase “lucky seven”.  Winning the lottery, they walked away collectively with $319 million – approximately $19 million each after taxes.  These co-workers, plus five others, regularly purchased tickets as a group.  The week the ticket was a winner, five of the regulars opted out.  Now the question being asked is “should the workers share their winnings with those who decided not to play?”

Some say out of respect and loyalty to fellow workers, the winners should share the wealth. Another perspective is that if you don’t buy in, you don’t cash in. The winners say they are still deciding what they will do.  It’s often difficult to reach a consensus with two people, much less (or more, seven).  Perhaps the best collective decision is to individually act on what you think is the right thing to do.

What people do with overnight financial windfalls is an interesting study in human nature.  Most people who have won lotteries have not made wise decisions and are back where they started.  Holding true to personal values seem key in this process. 

Wrestling with matters of the conscience can create sleepless nights.  Contemplating issues that have to do with sharing your millions might be a tough position to be in, few of us have any experience!  It would be easy to say what you would do if you aren’t faced with the choice! We, as armchair quarterbacks, make judgments but the truth is that we really don’t know what we would do.

Still learning,

Honey