Loaded Dice

loading dice

Many people say the dice are loaded. It may be true; it may not. It’s certainly convenient —If they’re loaded, it ain’t your fault.

The poor say the dice are loaded: “Is it my fault that I was born to parents that didn’t give me the tools to get rich? And they say we need millions to retire, and I can’t save a penny and my head is barely above water.”

The rich say the dice are loaded. “Sure, some rich are sleazes, but overall we contribute the most: Many, many people part with their hard-earned money because we provide value in excess of what they pay. To boot, we are forced to give away half in taxes and get 1/10 the benefit. Even so, we give additionally to charity. Yet the media says we’re evil, wealth ill-begotten, selfish. Lies! Who would have thought it has become embarrassing to be rich.”

Blacks say the dice are loaded. “There’s the legacy of slavery, institutional racism, systemic racism, subtle racism — racism, racism, racism. And we give so much: music, sports, and now, in every field.”

LatinX say the dice are loaded. “We come for a better life and Trump wants us back south so we can have a worse life. And unlike some cultures that don’t value hard work — I better not name it — we work hard. We work hard and play hard, and we’re proud of it.”

Whites say the dice are now loaded. “We continue to be the core of what makes this country run. Yet our protestant work ethic is now often derided as workaholism, our church-going ridiculed as naive. And we pay the most painful share of taxes yet voluntarily give more in charity, despite our feeling we can’t afford our kids’ college education.”

Asians say the dice are loaded. “We’re sneered at for being the model minority, and dare we err, we’re just another part of The Other. Even if we don’t err, they call us insular. If we hang out with each other, it’s because we’re proud of our intelligent, hard-working, restrained culture. And we have triumphed over hurdles, including in the 20th century. Chinese-Americans were indentured to build America’s railroads. Japanese-Americans were forced into internment camps. Vietnamese were bombed needlessly. Yet, sooner than later, we have succeeded, like the Jews who were in concentration camps and continue to suffer anti-semitism, yet succeed.”

The Old say the dice are loaded. “No matter our experience or wisdom, they’d rather hire the 20-something for cheap. And we are Not-Glad-Wrap: invisible to lovers we only wish we could have.”

Does it serve you to blame the “loaded dice?” Does it serve society?

I read this aloud on YouTube.

Marty Nemko is a career and personal coach, and author of 36 books including the just-published Favorites: his best articles and short-short stories. You can reach him at mnemko@gmail.com