Gambling

Life is a gamble. The unknown awaits each of us every day when we get out of bed. We lull ourselves into a false sense of control. The best laid plans are folly in a Universe where coincidence is as important as the laws of physics. 

When human beings gamble with money, I think they are whistling in the dark. A human being sitting in front of a slot machine is comparable to a cat playing with a piece of yarn. Actually the cat shows more creativity in its play and also reaps the benefit of exercise. Gambling at casinos serves no greater good. It simply makes exploiters richer. The odds are always with the house.

If human beings were educated from childhood to understand the true nature of their position in the Universe, as animals within an ecology whose very existence is ephemeral and constantly at risk, I doubt they would spend their time handing over money to hucksters for little or no value in return. If sciences were taught as enthusiastically as religion, human beings would wake up and see that their existence as a species is a great gamble, which can be influenced by seeking knowledge and working toward a greater good for all.

The odds of life are always with the Universe and its laws. The humanist understands this. The humanist knows that investing love and labor in improving the lot of all human beings entails wagering his/her own life for the possibility of a better life for all human beings and their environment. This is a worthwhile gamble. It may not bring a rattling jackpot of coins, but it will predictably foster peace and liberation in the lives of those who engage in the game.