Equality and Human Beings

Equality is an integral part of humanity. Every single person deserves respect, and no one should
be forced to be sacrificed for any purpose or cause. Humans are not a means to be used for
something; they are ends in themselves. In this context, the lottery in the town is troublesome.
Tessie became a scapegoat for the yearly purging of the bad, which is unreasonable. Who should
be sacrificed, even for a legitimate cause? Since the needs of all in the town are the same and
they can all be seen as brothers, we should never single out anyone as a scapegoat, striving for
the overall well-being of the people in the town.

In this regard, we must consider the concept of justice. Aristotle defined justice as what every
individual deserves. Since all people are morally equal, they have the right to be treated in the
same way. Just as water falls and fire rises, all humans should be respected as ends in themselves.
Even if pursuing complete justice leads to utter catastrophe, nothing should take precedence over
human beings. The lottery system cannot be acceptable because equal opportunities to escape
doom cannot outweigh human dignity. For instance, the film 'Ireland' once depicted that even
cloned beings, derived from the original humans, should not be used as means, as their lives hold
the same value as human life.

Furthermore, the end does not justify the means when it comes to achieving a goal. The story of
the lottery clearly illustrates the violence our society inflicts upon the underdog. As Tessie pointed
out, it is not fair and accomplishes nothing. In the name of utilitarian thinking, it forces a
scapegoat to be sacrificed against their will. By disregarding the right to free choice, the lottery
inadvertently commits violence against innocent moral beings. The pursuit of the greatest
happiness for the greatest number is not a panacea, but rather a form of violence. If sacrifice were
to be based on voluntary participation, the case would be different and possibly morally
justifiable. However, the lottery, despite appearing to provide equal chances for all, is nothing
short of coercive violence that compels someone to be sacrificed. It is unquestionably immoral.

Assume that 100 people are in the water and you are on the lifeboat the capacity of which gets in
five more. In this case, who could you let in? How do we choose? Do we pick the best five, the
neediest five, “first come, first served?” And what do we say to the ninety we exclude? Since all
humans deserve what they are due, coerced sacrifice never become legitimate. It is because there
is nothing more important than human will, life and dignity.