Comments on: The Enlightenment Guide To Winning The Lottery

By: Sanssouci

Sanssouci — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 19:43:28 +0000

Damn, Voltaire was messy. Every time I click on a story relating to Enlightenment-era drama, there’s our man at the centre of it. Speaking of which, I’d love to read a DI take on Voltaire’s time in Prussia. (Messy.)

Brilliant article, thanks for a very enjoyable read!

By: Jack

Jack — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 00:05:01 +0000

Voltaire did not need to be rich. He needed only a reliable job and the passion to write. Thus explaining why English majors seldom publish great works.

By: LP

LP — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 09:39:17 +0000

I don’t really like the Calvinist conclusion that money makes you what you are. Voltaire wasn’t the first or only wealthy man on Earth and yet he spoke his mind well ahead of time by expressing concepts that are at the foundation of our human rights today.

One could even argue that there were already signs of his free mind before the lottery scheme came into being and that he would eventually become Voltaire anyway, but that again would be interspersing history with our beliefs.

By: Marisa Brook

Marisa Brook — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 18:53:46 +0000

@anonimoose: Heh! Brendan and I discovered the two stories involving La Condamine totally independently. Apparently Damn Interestingness followed the man wherever he went.

By: anonimoose

anonimoose — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 15:04:27 +0000

I love that Condamine links this article and the one aaa out the Amazon.

By: sid

sid — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:32:56 +0000

[quote]pleasedeletethisaccount said: “Well it may be intelligently put together but I’m afraid to say that technically it was also illegal and thus fraude.”[/quote]

Not according to the courts.

“Eventually, the royal council ruled in the syndicate’s favor, letting them keep their absurd riches….”

By: igmothemagus

igmothemagus — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 12:23:04 +0000

I would have thought that coercing the notary to be an accomplice in this plan would have been a crime (for Voltaire AND the notary). I could be wrong though, that’s based off of no research at all.

I would also guess that they probably didn’t have as good of a way to “freeze assests” like law enforcement does today. I would imagine that it was a great deal easier to launder money.

By: pleasedeletethisaccount

pleasedeletethisaccount — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 09:28:36 +0000

People keep referring to this scheme as a brilliant idea. Well it may be intelligently put together but I’m afraid to say that technically it was also illegal and thus fraude.

Yeah that’s right, Voltaire was apparently a crook as well as a brilliant writer.

Please. let us not place this escapade on his list of achievements as well.

By: Falos

Falos — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 18:56:44 +0000

[quote]“Condamine planned to outsmart luck herself.”[/quote]
This is so Kaiji.

By: Brendan Mackie

Brendan Mackie — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:29:19 +0000

[quote]Fishrock said: “Is that a picture of Flav-O-Condamine up top, or am I mistaken?”[/quote]

Exactly!