Hurting us in the pocket subtly

There is a Chinese adage that says, “no matter how high a mountain, there is one higher”.

Sometimes, we think we are smart and invincible and that is when we are conned or enticed into departing our hard-earned savings. We just have to be more careful not to be lured into bad habits or practices.

Lately, we have been reading news of people striking big in lottery winnings.

The amount seems to be getting bigger, and the frequency getting higher. If one lottery company paid out RM2 million this week, most likely another lottery company will pay out RM5 million the following week.

The irony is while lottery companies are paying out bigger prizes, they are also collecting more revenue and making more profits.

The news media keep telling us people are getting rich through dabbling in lotteries, but do they tell us how many are losing their hard-earned income a few times a week?

Sometimes, I think news reports are just subtle enticements to lure unsuspecting individuals into betting and gambling.

How often do news reports highlight individuals and families getting into financial trouble or can’t make ends meet because of gambling?

The same goes for other forms of addictive habits such as drinking and smoking. Although the government has banned direct advertisements on alcohol and cigarettes, there are subtle influences readily available through other means.

WhatsApp has become a cheap conduit of influence. Loads of marketing on socially undesirable products, including prostitution, are being promoted this way.

We probably can’t stop others from influencing us. However, we must be very discerning and be very aware of the pitfalls of excessive gambling and other forms of undesirable products.

I am not being moralistic or trying to encroach into the rights of others. I believe protecting ourselves and our young ones is also our right.

I think many Malaysians are shying away from highlighting the right issues because they want to appear liberal and be politically correct.

TK Chua is an FMT reader.