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Before we set our hearts too much on anything, let us examine how happyare those who already possess it.- François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld,
French moralist (1613-1680)Let's look at some examples. Start with winning a lottery.Despite the stories published about unhappiness and even financial hardship (later) suffered bywinners of large sums in lotteries, I have heard many people say "I'd like to suffer that way," or "Just let me try it." Those people had learned nothing from the examples of unhappinessexperienced by others who won lotteries.Most people who win large sums in lotteries have little experience with managing large amountsof money over which they have complete control. Some give it away to family members or charities, or spend lavishly on a lifestyle they have never experienced, while most try to keep it(invested) for their "nest egg" when they retire.With no experience managing large amounts of money, very few keep a significant portion of their winnings until retirement. Because their names become public information, they get plagued by charitable organizations for donations (for years afterwards), by strangers who simplywant a handout (a surprising number of them come out of the woodwork) and investment"counselors" who make frequent transactions on behalf of their clients to extract fees from them.Many (especially, but not exclusively, young people) wish they could be rock stars. So manyrock stars are either drug users or addicts or heavy users of alcohol, or both, that it's a wonder anyone would want to emulate them. True, they get adulation from the crowds, but the pressureon them to make continually more money to support growing numbers of helper employees oftennets them less than their less heralded counterparts.Music stardom brings with it fame, a double edged sword. Being recognized every time you stepout your door is great for the ego for a while, but it becomes stifling when you can't appear in public anywhere without being mobbed. Stardom usually reduces a person's ability to movearound in public places, including travelling, which many "unknown" people enjoy.Movie stars have gained adoring followers since the days of silent movies. They suffer the samedownside of fame as the music stars. And the same pressure to make more money and inability tomove about in public without attracting greedy and grabby fans.The "stars" who inhabit the pages of supermarket tabloids have no private lives at all. The paparazzi follow them everywhere and photograph them in the most embarrassing andcompromising situations possible. Even an innocent photo can become a scandal in a tabloidwhen it is taken out of context. Some tabloids simply use pictures and invent absurd stories towith them. A few "doctor" the photos to service their scandal stories.Having a "public" life may seem attractive to someone who lives their whole life in relativeobscurity. Having no private life because photographers or fans follow you everywhere(including to the bathroom) means sacrificing what most people consider to be their life. Fame
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