In Defense of Honesty

The saying goes that "cheaters never prosper." Turns out, some cheaters do. Ways to exploit are like Dunkin' Donuts stores in Boston--they crop up on every corner with their cheap, tantalizing appeal for immediate gratification, guaranteeing bad quality and empty calories. Many people I've interacted with in the last few weeks--mostly students finding their way--believe that if an opportunity arose to cheat on a college entrance exam with no negative consequences, they would do it without batting an eye. "But what about integrity?" I ask. "But what about an arbitrary test that doesn't matter?" they respond. I don't buy it. I don't believe that something is fine just because it may be personally beneficial. I don't believe that regulation compensates for immorality, and that something is ethically clear even at the expense of the greater good of society. I don't believe in cheating. And I find that to my utter disappointment I may be a lone Sisyphus in this battle. I need a doughnut.