The Child Father To The Man

Or woman, as the case may be. What becomes familiar, commonplace and readily engaged in becomes normal practise engaged in from youth into adulthood.

When sound values are not taught to young people through the experience of witnessing how their role models behave, or in familial situations where parents are seen to have strong moral values, there is no reason to anticipate that young people will of themselves pick up those values.

And when the general society at large is seen to be bereft of values through popular role models, why expect the young not to be ethically challenged themselves?

An biennial study that surveys thousands of individuals in a range of age groups through the Josephson Institute of Ethics based in Los Angeles has released its latest findings. That those who cheat on school exams are likely to continue to be dishonest throughout their lives. One might suppose that if high school exam-cheats turn out to be successful in that they are not discovered, they may have no reason to seek a change in modus operandi.

After all, if it becomes common practise, and it can be seen through 'cheating' having become far more readily accessible through having an anonymous paid scribbler at an Internet site write manuscripts turned in as one's own, that cheating of all kinds at all levels of education has become commonplace, the 'everyone does it' syndrome is healthy and thriving.

Original work is a thing of the past, with even scientists occasionally succumbing to immoral cheating, publishing unauthentic or just plain corrupt findings.

Today's youth, it would appear, are cynical about honesty and truth and originality of production. Cheating becomes habitual, and it is resourcefully undertaken, and seen to be profitable through life experiences. From cheating in a high school exam, to padding an expense claim, cheating on income taxes, and withholding information when it is considered to be inconvenient to divulge it.

The Josephson Institute's reports have marked a steady increase in those admitting to cheating, lying and stealing. What's new about this is that the newly-released study makes a clear connection between teen misbehaviour and later-life dishonest activities. Unlike mature adults with a far lower percentage of cheaters, teens are five times more likely to indulge in lying and cheating to get ahead.

What's sad in all of this is that even though the young may acknowledge that what they're doing is wrong, illegal and compromising of personal integrity, they normalize these activities in their minds by adhering to the notion that if everyone does it, it's permissible. Trust? Veracity? Personal pride? Forget it. What's that old saying, going along to get along?