Crown
Sometimes I get thrilled going over to Crown. Ever since I went there for the first time, I've never failed to be charmed by the place. It is like an addiction, the word “Crown” sends shivers down my spine. I’d willingly trade my nice warm bed and chocolate snacks for a trip over to Crown Casino.
Not that I'm a compulsive gambler or anything. I've only ever used ONE dollar coin in a pokie (and yes, in case you are wondering, I lost it) and I've never considered using the paltry sum that I receive every month (which I solely depend on for mere survival) as a generous donation to an already cash-rich establishment.
I find it fascinating because of the mere idiosyncrasy and yet fundamentally simple way in which it operates.
There's not a single square cm on the carpet that you walk on that doesn't have some reference to the image of gold coins. Flashing lights mimic gold coins. Posh BMW's on display with the words "WIN ME" directly overhead. Dollar bills on the vests of Casino attendants in all sorts of colours that would make even Versace seem modest. Dollar signs splattered all over the wall. Sounds of dollar coins falling into the coin collection chute. Numbers spinning, cards dealing, balls rolling... all pointing towards the prospect of winning some quick easy cash.
It's all about the money.
Psychologically it tells you that you CAN win. It tells you that MONEY is there, HUGE sums of it, up for grabs, and you just might be the lucky one to win it. Kinda like the same way that Mackkers tells its already obese customers to gorge down another Big Mac by putting the words “I’m lovin’ it” on the packaging.
Our brain is marvelously simple to manipulate.
I find it funny to see people sitting slumped over pokie machines obviously absorbed by the whole thing. Pushing coins and notes through the slots and frantically hitting on the buttons that lay before them. What's more amusing is that the animations and the sound effects that they use is superb... if you are talking about some educational program that teaches a 4 year old kid how to spell the word A-P-P-L-E.
Sounds which are familiar to Barney and Sesame Street, dancing frogs and mooing cows.... In a society which prides itself in being “mature” and “grown up”, it doesn’t make sense. Then again nothing about this place makes sense.
Asian people seem to love this place. There are heaps of them walking around all day everyday. And old people too, you’d imagine that they are too old and too crippled to get out of the house but they’ll crawl on their four limbs if they could if it meant getting to the casino. I’ve seen frail old people with spindly legs in strollers punching buttons on a slot machine; I don’t think it is very uncommon. Also you’d find many long faces in the crowd, with wrinkles looking 10 times worse than they actually are. You can tell by the worn look on their face that they're obviously not having a good day. In fact, not even a SINGLE person looks happy. They all have this gloomy look to them, something I've never really been able to explain.
They go to Crown, donate away their life savings and end up looking like a fuck face at the end of the day. Sounds worse than smoking weed if you ask me. At least weed makes you feel happy.
I've never really come to terms with the way in which people spend their money at the Black Jack or Baccarat table. You'll see hundreds of $100 chips being snatched away by the casino attendant with the gambler looking oblivious to it all as though the money was merely spare change. You'll see people hitting the table with stacks of $50 dollar bills at one go, amounts which would buy me enough food to sustain me for 6 months.
Here these people are, trying to make a quick buck, getting the thrill out of winning a dollar after losing $1000, hoping that perhaps someday their “investment” will earn them that swanky BMW or Eureka apartment.
The last icing on the cake for me was a glimpse of a signboard on top of a poker machine that read "The odds AGAINST you are always the same with each bet".
And right below was an old man oblivious to it all, gambling away what would possibly be his monthly pension to a machine with cute cuddly bears and spinning ducks on its screen.
Not that I'm a compulsive gambler or anything. I've only ever used ONE dollar coin in a pokie (and yes, in case you are wondering, I lost it) and I've never considered using the paltry sum that I receive every month (which I solely depend on for mere survival) as a generous donation to an already cash-rich establishment.
I find it fascinating because of the mere idiosyncrasy and yet fundamentally simple way in which it operates.
There's not a single square cm on the carpet that you walk on that doesn't have some reference to the image of gold coins. Flashing lights mimic gold coins. Posh BMW's on display with the words "WIN ME" directly overhead. Dollar bills on the vests of Casino attendants in all sorts of colours that would make even Versace seem modest. Dollar signs splattered all over the wall. Sounds of dollar coins falling into the coin collection chute. Numbers spinning, cards dealing, balls rolling... all pointing towards the prospect of winning some quick easy cash.
It's all about the money.
Psychologically it tells you that you CAN win. It tells you that MONEY is there, HUGE sums of it, up for grabs, and you just might be the lucky one to win it. Kinda like the same way that Mackkers tells its already obese customers to gorge down another Big Mac by putting the words “I’m lovin’ it” on the packaging.
Our brain is marvelously simple to manipulate.
I find it funny to see people sitting slumped over pokie machines obviously absorbed by the whole thing. Pushing coins and notes through the slots and frantically hitting on the buttons that lay before them. What's more amusing is that the animations and the sound effects that they use is superb... if you are talking about some educational program that teaches a 4 year old kid how to spell the word A-P-P-L-E.
Sounds which are familiar to Barney and Sesame Street, dancing frogs and mooing cows.... In a society which prides itself in being “mature” and “grown up”, it doesn’t make sense. Then again nothing about this place makes sense.
Asian people seem to love this place. There are heaps of them walking around all day everyday. And old people too, you’d imagine that they are too old and too crippled to get out of the house but they’ll crawl on their four limbs if they could if it meant getting to the casino. I’ve seen frail old people with spindly legs in strollers punching buttons on a slot machine; I don’t think it is very uncommon. Also you’d find many long faces in the crowd, with wrinkles looking 10 times worse than they actually are. You can tell by the worn look on their face that they're obviously not having a good day. In fact, not even a SINGLE person looks happy. They all have this gloomy look to them, something I've never really been able to explain.
They go to Crown, donate away their life savings and end up looking like a fuck face at the end of the day. Sounds worse than smoking weed if you ask me. At least weed makes you feel happy.
I've never really come to terms with the way in which people spend their money at the Black Jack or Baccarat table. You'll see hundreds of $100 chips being snatched away by the casino attendant with the gambler looking oblivious to it all as though the money was merely spare change. You'll see people hitting the table with stacks of $50 dollar bills at one go, amounts which would buy me enough food to sustain me for 6 months.
Here these people are, trying to make a quick buck, getting the thrill out of winning a dollar after losing $1000, hoping that perhaps someday their “investment” will earn them that swanky BMW or Eureka apartment.
The last icing on the cake for me was a glimpse of a signboard on top of a poker machine that read "The odds AGAINST you are always the same with each bet".
And right below was an old man oblivious to it all, gambling away what would possibly be his monthly pension to a machine with cute cuddly bears and spinning ducks on its screen.
Fell from the sky at 2:14 PM
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