Gambling seems to have become the big new game in Taiwan, with the government playing the bank. Gambling, however, is not a new phenomenon. Images some 3,000 years old of people gambling have been found in castle ruins from ancient Babylon.
The invention of lottery tickets took place in Europe during the Middle Ages. The world's first government-run lottery was in England in 1566, by special permission of Queen Elizabeth I.
Different lottery systems have created big business, with groups attempting to legalize gambling behavior. However, when the excitement of gambling has passed, will everything return to normal? Or can this be an oppor-tunity to reflect on the social factors behind this phenomenon? Rather than finding fault with the lottery hysteria, we should look at why people don't get tired of this zero-sum game.
I submit that gambling behavior has a psycho-social foundation. It is not the act of gambling itself that is harmful, but rather the gambler's not being able to achieve the expected benefits, even after having done all he or she can to gather information. The vicious circle resulting from repeated attempts to recoup losses creates abnormal psycho-social attitudes.
Generally speaking, gambling can be broken down into the following sequential structure: One, the impulse to place a stake in an anti-productive activity.
Two, the continued feeling of emotional tension when the action is nearing completion. Three, the immediate dissipation of pressure upon completion of the action.
Four, the return of emotional tension after a period of time -- a couple of weeks, a few days, or maybe only a few hours -- demanding action be taken to diminish the psychological drive to gamble.
Five, temptation from external factors (eg, media reports).
Six, a reaction to monotony, fatigue or frustration in daily life and secondary internal and external restricting factors reinforcing the drive to gamble.
Seven, the yearning for happiness and excitement.
The vicious circle continues endlessly, creating a feeling of psychological dependence and tolerance. The individual will need a higher incidence of gambling opportunities, higher stakes and an even wider range of gambling environments to get relief.
Gambling has been around for ages, but the American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders did not list a "pathological gambling" category until its 1980 edition. This is a reflection of how the problem has been constructed through the creation of "consumption personality" and opportunism following the intertwining of a rapidly-evolving society with the modern emphasis on innovation, quick response, realism and simplification.
The mental illness concept is not a simple recognition of symptoms, but may also involve social and cultural roots. It is necessary to recognize that behind gambling behavior may lie feelings of helplessness toward a society out of control, and a reaction to a feeling of existential insecurity.
The most urgent need is for media self-discipline in order to eliminate external stimuli and temptations, more government control of media to avoid inappropriate and unrealistic reporting and proposals for a concrete response to rampant gambling.At the same time, the public's right to mental-health education must be stressed.
On the other hand, once the five-day work week has been officially implemented, the lack of leisure choices and the deterio-rating quality of life should be highlighted. Maybe with a little less political hot air and a little more cultural flavor, Taiwan may avoid confusion and depression.
Lin Yaw-sheng is an associate professor at Kaohsiung Medical University.
Translated by Perry Svensson
The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government. At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural
Former minister of culture Lung Ying-tai (龍應台) has long wielded influence through the power of words. Her articles once served as a moral compass for a society in transition. However, as her April 1 guest article in the New York Times, “The Clock Is Ticking for Taiwan,” makes all too clear, even celebrated prose can mislead when romanticism clouds political judgement. Lung crafts a narrative that is less an analysis of Taiwan’s geopolitical reality than an exercise in wistful nostalgia. As political scientists and international relations academics, we believe it is crucial to correct the misconceptions embedded in her article,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
Strategic thinker Carl von Clausewitz has said that “war is politics by other means,” while investment guru Warren Buffett has said that “tariffs are an act of war.” Both aphorisms apply to China, which has long been engaged in a multifront political, economic and informational war against the US and the rest of the West. Kinetically also, China has launched the early stages of actual global conflict with its threats and aggressive moves against Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan, and its support for North Korea’s reckless actions against South Korea that could reignite the Korean War. Former US presidents Barack Obama
RSS