The Gamble
Good day, wherever in the world you happen to be reading. Apparently the readers outside the USA find this blog more interesting by a 2 to 1 ratio in the last month. Hmmm, very interesting. Anyway, as we move forward and Summer has officially begun, I've taken a break from weeding, watering, splitting wood and cursing at weeds to write some thougths. Maybe they're thought provoking...maybe.
We live in a challenging time, every day there are decisions to make, each will have an outcome and make an impact on out lives in some way. Sometimes there is a risk to what we decide, what some may call a "gamble." In that sense what is a gamble? According to Webster's "To bet on an uncertain outcome." Also, "To stake something on contingency." Ok, what's a contingency Mr. Webster? Contingency: "A event that may occur but is not certain to occur." Life is definitely full of contingencies.
One thing that I have always found confounding is how many politicians take the gamble that gambling is somehow a financial solution to their economy. See, it's a contingecy. Once upon a time about 40 years ago gambling was legal in very few places, like Nevada and New Jersey and on American Indian Reservations. It was protected territory in a sense and one had to travel to take part. Now gambling has become widespread and as I watch in horror online gambling has become the new supposed solution. The TV ad's are frightening as the "real people, not actors" tell us how they "won $3,000 on my lunchbreak"
These are followed up by the legally required notice "if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call...." Guess what dear readers, if you're taking your last 15 minutes after choking down a PB&J and cranberry juice to bet online YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. They don't show the poor old sod that bet the last of his kid's lunch money and lost. In a larger sense we have a problem when elected officials, chosen to think for all of us- think that this is a financial/economic cure. Let's take a quick look. In many financially challenging areas a casino is built, bringing jobs but also problems. Drugs, prostitution, high interest loans- legal and illegal. People who live in the area have to deal with the now larger issues. Some solution eh?
I will shift gears and move to a different type of gamble, not gaming- but risk. As some readers may recall I am honest, sometimes to a fault as I'm told. Sometimes I have to decide when to speak and when to keep the thoughts rolling around in my brain from being shared. There is gamble because there is an uncertain outcome. What we commonly call "speaking one's mind." When I recognize a problem with someone I tend to act on a solution. Step 1 is always addressing it, sometimes with the person involved, other times with a large circle of people impacted. There is a risk of alienation.
I've gambled on losing friendships over some of these thoughts, in those situations I've won. When it comes to people I will take the risk. If someone is involved in their own gambles, with uncertain outsomes, well that is not the time to shut up and shut down. The impact is not just to themselves but everyone around them. The stressful part is knowing how to address it and with whom. When you have an approach that is as subtle as a freight train running downhill, well it takes some thought. I will get to it very soon.
The Answerman says "When the gamble you take may keep someone from harming themself and their inner circle it's a good risk. If the downside is alienating someone in that circle- pissing them off, its still a gamble worth taking."
We live in a challenging time, every day there are decisions to make, each will have an outcome and make an impact on out lives in some way. Sometimes there is a risk to what we decide, what some may call a "gamble." In that sense what is a gamble? According to Webster's "To bet on an uncertain outcome." Also, "To stake something on contingency." Ok, what's a contingency Mr. Webster? Contingency: "A event that may occur but is not certain to occur." Life is definitely full of contingencies.
One thing that I have always found confounding is how many politicians take the gamble that gambling is somehow a financial solution to their economy. See, it's a contingecy. Once upon a time about 40 years ago gambling was legal in very few places, like Nevada and New Jersey and on American Indian Reservations. It was protected territory in a sense and one had to travel to take part. Now gambling has become widespread and as I watch in horror online gambling has become the new supposed solution. The TV ad's are frightening as the "real people, not actors" tell us how they "won $3,000 on my lunchbreak"
These are followed up by the legally required notice "if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call...." Guess what dear readers, if you're taking your last 15 minutes after choking down a PB&J and cranberry juice to bet online YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. They don't show the poor old sod that bet the last of his kid's lunch money and lost. In a larger sense we have a problem when elected officials, chosen to think for all of us- think that this is a financial/economic cure. Let's take a quick look. In many financially challenging areas a casino is built, bringing jobs but also problems. Drugs, prostitution, high interest loans- legal and illegal. People who live in the area have to deal with the now larger issues. Some solution eh?
I will shift gears and move to a different type of gamble, not gaming- but risk. As some readers may recall I am honest, sometimes to a fault as I'm told. Sometimes I have to decide when to speak and when to keep the thoughts rolling around in my brain from being shared. There is gamble because there is an uncertain outcome. What we commonly call "speaking one's mind." When I recognize a problem with someone I tend to act on a solution. Step 1 is always addressing it, sometimes with the person involved, other times with a large circle of people impacted. There is a risk of alienation.
I've gambled on losing friendships over some of these thoughts, in those situations I've won. When it comes to people I will take the risk. If someone is involved in their own gambles, with uncertain outsomes, well that is not the time to shut up and shut down. The impact is not just to themselves but everyone around them. The stressful part is knowing how to address it and with whom. When you have an approach that is as subtle as a freight train running downhill, well it takes some thought. I will get to it very soon.
The Answerman says "When the gamble you take may keep someone from harming themself and their inner circle it's a good risk. If the downside is alienating someone in that circle- pissing them off, its still a gamble worth taking."
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