The Powerball jackpot is up to $320 million. Why do you play the lottery? Is it because you have a dream? Because you have hope of a better future? Because—though you know it's a long shot—you just have a good feeling about this one? Because the twinkle in your eye and the spring in your step signify your jaunty, devil-may-care attitude towards the naysayers, and a firm belief that you, a fundamentally good person, will one day get your proper reward?

Or is it because you know that America's national selfishness will never allow us to pay enough taxes to save our crumbling system of social services, and that even a magical downwards transfer of wealth will never be enough to save the working class, and that no matter how many new casinos we build in every last state in the Union, we are still collectively doomed to a future of recession-induced suicide, so you better get yours one way or another, or else?

Well, no matter. Either way, you are not going to win the lottery. You fool.

[See for yourself. Photo: Ross Catrow/ Flickr]