Cheating is Destructive to Development

What is cheating?

Cheating is self-destructive behaviour built on trickily. Most people cheat to distract themselves from persistent poor self-esteem. Cheating is not freedom but a momentary break from stressors that are simply being frozen. Those who involve themselves in cheating often do so as an attempt to escape anxiety, but they end up getting ensnared in bigger problems. While there is never any excuse to cheat, people often do so because of laxity in doing what is right.

Cheating is not indelible

Cheating can be overcome when we generate a deep desire to repair the trust that has been damaged. Most life situations face stressors and if not taken care of, they can degenerate into chaos. Reasons for cheating arise out of personal inadequacy, unattended depression, a hurt ego and fear of commitment. When one finds self in such a habit it is advisable to address straight away rather than letting them continue to aggravate beyond redemption.

Cheating is wrong even when people do it

Cheating in Uganda is becoming widespread. A recent poll shows that not even children have been spared of this menace.  Statistics show that 70% of teenagers cheat on tests. To make things worse, 60% of Ugandans have friends who have cheated. Out of twenty-five million Ugandans, 30% acknowledge that they have created. It is stated that more than 50% say cheaters don’t get caught. Cheating is the same as lying and stealing. Every time one makes an achievement is expressing that all is c while instead, it is a clean lie. Cheating is as bad as stealing because one grabs someone else’s effort and personalizes it.

Cheating causes stress

When one is cheating, he/she inevitably worry about getting caught, falling in trouble and receiving disciplinary actions. The outcome is stress. To make matters worse, one who cheats develops a fake story to cover up the truth which traps the person further in a web of lies. It is stressful to be caught in a lie or to think that someone somewhere maybe knowing the truth.

Cheating is unfair

Cheating is so frustrating when one is playing by the rules. When one cheats to get better life levels, it becomes unfair for those working hard. The wrong person receives unfair gain which he/she does not deserve and forever suspicious. Cheating makes the actor guilty. A community that likes cheating ends up destroying itself. Most of the accidents we witness occur because those given responsibilities were incompetent. In this country, for example, people print out false documents to get jobs. Others use names that are not theirs. Some have permits to operate machines including driving cars and piloting aircraft, supervising constructions which later collapse and procuring useless material for public consumption. All this is what cheating causes. Cheating is not only unfair but dangerous.

Cheating suffocates development

Where there is cheating, progress is distracted as the nation commissions roads that develop potholes within no time. Cheating is so elusive that it promote fails while overlooking the capable. This vice can promote nonstarters into national leaders simply because the process to elect the true leader has been compromised. We learn life basics first to use them tackle complicated problems, but one who opts to cheat misses this fundamental step in life. Whoever does not know the basics; cheating keeps the pace. Every time one cheats, he/she misses gaining skills which are hard to achieve later. Cheating generates disrespect and animosity. Cheating undermines efforts of good teachers who did their work in vain.

Cheating destroys trust

Cheating is deadly because of killing trust. Once one is caught cheating once, then trust is ruined. Even if one never cheat again, those in authority will always have a hard time trusting such a person due to suspicion. When others hear about cheating, their opinion gets compromised. Incidentally, cheating can easily become a habit. People who cheat don’t usually do it one time. It becomes a habit that follows people into their careers. Just like gambling or stealing, cheating can become a part of whom one is spreading into other areas of life. Tricksters tend to lose perspective to what is acceptable behaviour by demonstrating a careless tendency.

Cheating should be shunned

Cheating seems slow but it is so swift to the extent of leading one into failure. A person with such a tendency avoids smart and organized work most especially learning. A person who hides from learning will not develop the important attribute of persistence, dedication, diligence and sacrifice. Success demands working smartly while cheating opts for the easy way out. Yet it is difficult to achieve pure goals without mastering relevant skills. What most people forget is that cheating embarrasses someone who would otherwise be considered gentle. A person’s actions define who he/she is. Cheating reveals how one is lazy, incompetent, untrustworthy and disrespectful, for these reasons it should be discouraged.

Conclusion

Since cheating lames society permanently, it should never be tolerated on whatever level of society. Our people are lagging behind other nations in prosperity and risk to remain incompetent globally if we encourage a generation of cheaters. There is a need for zero tolerance to people who cheat whatever level or status they may be. Religious leaders, parents and teachers should do what it takes to emphasize the importance of integrity. We need to do right whether we are alone or in a group. When it comes to cheating, no one is exempted.

Fr. Paulino Mondo