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where's the contest? come on, what would you do with $100e9 anyway? even if you said something to the effect of "your wildest dreams would come true," etc., etc., isn't the whole joy of life knowing that you have to earn it?
my mom is always prattling on about winning the lottery . . . i, for one, would hate to win the lottery, because i would know it was just opportune fortune that i did precisely nothing to deserve. i suppose the intrigue of winning the lottery is enticing for those who believe they have no way out of their lot in life, who think they can't be doing anything that would both be more helpful to mankind and be more fulfilling (and result in more monetary reward). but that's not the way life works. case in point: this semester i set two goals for grades on which i was more or less straddling the fence prior to exams. i met both goals, which elated me at first, but now i'm just looking for more challenges, more ways to occupy my time, to be productive, to EARN the rewards i so fervently seek.
aristotle hit it right on the head when he defined eudaimonia: happiness is an activity of the soul in accord with virtue. nothing is free, nor should it be. so no, no box filled with riches and dreams would be worth risking your life. in fact, no such box could ever be worth anything.
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