Others, however, hold the opposite view. They say that buying lottery tickets is actually a kind of gambling. People are encouraged to earn money through guessing instead of down-to-earth labor. As a result, some people are tempted to commit crimes. A case in point is the two bank clerks in Heibei who stole millions of money from the bank to buy lottery tickets.
Weighing the arguments of both sides, I am inclined to agree with the former. Lottery games can serve as a good means to raise funds. But the ticket buyers should keep in mind the original purpose of such games, that is, to help the underprivileged or to contribute to public welfare. If they happen to win the prizes, it’s nothing but a return for their kindness.
(Personally, I think that both sides have something right. Actually, lottery games should be viewed as a two-edged sword, which presents us with both benefits and troubles. But we should not give up eating for fear of choking. The best policy, as I see it, is to maximize their advantages and eliminate their unhealthy side-effects. Or in other words, we should further develop lottery games and exert proper supervision over them so that they can benefit us in a better way.)
5. Keeping Pets
There is no denying the fact that keeping pets is a hotly debated topic today. Some people claim that keeping pets is a good thing to do. They believe that pets, like cats and dogs, can help relieve the loneliness suffered by senior citizens and other social members who are confined to their homes for this reason or that. They also argue that keeping pets helps mankind understand animals’ world and develop positive feelings toward them.
Others, however, hold the opposite view. They regard keeping pets as a useless but harmful thing to do. First, pets can transmit diseases. Secondly, the noises and dung of pets are sources of pollution. Last but not least, as many rare birds and animals are kept as pets, they will surely be hunted on a large scale, which means a threat to the balance of the ecosystem.
Weighing the arguments of both sides, I am inclined to agree with the latter. Anyway, we can lessen our loneliness and express our love toward animals in other ways. And it is my belief that only by placing man and other species on an equal basis can we expect to have a lively and colorful world