Gambling Addictions - The Cost to Families and Society..

Most people today think 'getting something for nothing' is a good thing. Our forefathers despised that concept. Gambling seems to fade in times of recession, when two parents are struggling to find $30 to feed the family for a week - gambling is obviously wrong. Even if one parent lost $10 on the horses, the other parent would be angry for months.
What a contrast to affluent times when it is quite the 'done thing' to go and bet $100 on some horses running round in circles??

In a famous (and very touching) song by Tim Freedman (of 'The Whitlams'), the lyrics reportedly lament over the suicide of a band member who had a destructive gambling addiction.
In the lyrics, Tim wishes we would all "Blow up the poker machines and drag them away - because they're taking the food off your table."
The lyrics go on to beseech all of us to "get out of that casino - because your children need a Father - and you can't be a Father while you are there."

Big Banks are all chronic gamblers! Not content with the steady 7 to 11% they can make by investing in business enterprise, they wanted the much higher returns of 'speculation booms' like the USA sub-prime bubble. They understand that 'booms' can be followed by a 'bust' but they hope to see the bust coming and pull out in time. (gambling)
The worlds banks have had 13 major speculation 'crashes' since the crash of 1796 when a Land speculation bubble burst. (sound familiar?) That amounts to about one 'crash' every generation! It also means that, in almost every generation, huge numbers of average investors have lost most of the money they had saved as a direct result of reckless gambling!

.

wip..