--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at…" description: "\"Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/ambrose-bierce-140_inspirational_lottery-a-tax-on-people-who-are-bad-at-m_1226331.jpg" --- # Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math. ![“Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/ambrose-bierce-140_inspirational_lottery-a-tax-on-people-who-are-bad-at-m_1226331.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/ambrose-bierce-140_inspirational_lottery-a-tax-on-people-who-are-bad-at-m_1226331.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/ambrose-bierce-140_inspirational_lottery-a-tax-on-people-who-are-bad-at-m_1226331.jpg) > “Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lottery is a regressive tax that exploits those lacking numerical literacy. **In simple terms:** Lottery unfairly targets the mathematically unskilled. Key Takeaway Advocate for fairer economic policies. Themes economics justice education Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - community education - financial planning Key Concepts regressive taxation financial literacy social equity Questions to Reflect On - Should lotteries be banned? - How can we improve financial education? A Different Perspective Tax revenue from lotteries may fund public services, complicating moral judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lottery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lottery/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [A lottery is a tax on stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-lottery-is-a-tax-on-stupidity/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [The lottery is a tax on ignorance, and all the losers that play the game are paying the price for their stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/the-lottery-is-a-tax-on-ignorance-and-all-the-losers-that-play-the/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [“In his opinion, faith was generally for people who were bad at math.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/in-his-opinion-faith-was-generally-for-people-who-were-bad-at-math/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [I'm very good at reading people - and very bad at math.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-sharp/i-m-very-good-at-reading-people-and-very-bad-at-math/) [Alex Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-sharp/) > [“LOTTERY TICKET: a voluntary tax paid by people who are extremely bad at math.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-h-williams/lottery-ticket-a-voluntary-tax-paid-by-people-who-are-extremely-bad/) [Roy H. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-h-williams/) > [I'm not a programmer; I'm more of a performer. I'm really bad at math.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/du-yun/i-m-not-a-programmer-i-m-more-of-a-performer-i-m-really-bad-at-math/) [Du Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/du-yun/) > [I'm a strong believer that you have to have an equal opportunity to fail and to try things that are hard. I always tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-a-strong-believer-that-you-have-to-have-an-equal-opportunity-to/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [“I'm bad at math because I can't find the basic statement in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innasafa/i-m-bad-at-math-because-i-can-t-find-the-basic-statement-in-it/) [Innasafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innasafa/) > [There's a tendency for adults to label the math that they can do (such as identifying patterns, choosing between competing offers in a supermarket,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-eastaway/there-s-a-tendency-for-adults-to-label-the-math-that-they-can-do-such/) Robert Eastaway > [I'm not terribly athletic. And... there's a lot of things I'm not good at. 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If I'm in charge of tipping at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-rivenbark/this-phrase-did-not-have-the-ring-of-verisimilitude-because-i-am/) [Celia Rivenbark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-rivenbark/) > [If you're a waiter and you're waiting on me, you might get five percent, you might get seventy percent. It depends on how bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/if-you-re-a-waiter-and-you-re-waiting-on-me-you-might-get-five/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) > [“ Forever , just the word fills Beverly with an unaccountable, schoolmarmish sort of rage. Forever, that's got to be bad math, right? Such terrifying math.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/forever-just-the-word-fills-beverly-with-an-unaccountable/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. 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