A whole host of these winners are out there who say "that money RUINED my life!!" It wasn't the money that ruined their lives, the fact that they are stupid ruined their lives.

I am in agreement with you as well.  The choices we make today dictate the life we live.

It reminds me of a court case here in our town.  A gentleman lived on a golf course and a woman hit a bad ball, breaking a picture window and some of the contents inside the house.  He sued as she refused to pay.  Her logic?  He should expect damage living on the golf course and it is a viable risk he takes by living there.

The sad part is that she is worth millions and could pay.  Money can do funny things to the victim mentality.

It's a sad fact of life.  Most of the people who have the money to make a positive difference in people's lives don't.  My grandfather owned a gas station for many years.  He would extend credit to everyone and they would pay at the end of the month.  It's a small town, that's the way it's done around here.  Many of them paid their bills and he had no problems.  The people he had the hardest time getting the money from were the people who had the most money.  He eventually had to sell the business because of health reasons, but when he did, he had a large book of people who still owed him money.  He never pursued it.  His attitude was that they had to live with their conscience.  A few of the holdovers paid him back over the years, but for the most part, the ones that thought they got away with it just let it go.

I've also seen this when we do Scouting For Food with the Cub Scouts.  The local senior citizens apartments where we live will give all that they can, but the richest part of town harldy gives a drop.  My dad says that's how the rich stay rich.  I would rather be poor and have a clean conscience and soul than all the money in the world.