Thoughts on Cheating by a very promising Filipino lawyer

My good friend David Bonifacio shared this article on Facebook this morning and I was really touched and blessed after reading it. During these times when cheating and immorality is the norm, it’s always refreshing and inspiring to hear from people who still stand by their values and principles. This article is written by a law student named Micky Ingles who shares his thoughts on cheating and how it impacts the nation. It’s a simple but powerful piece that will really bring you back to the “real” reality and not the mired and tainted one that we’ve all come to get used to.

Thoughts on Cheating
Yesterday at 11:15pm

Hey guys, this was a letter I sent to a group of friends last night. They suggested I share it via facebook too. So, here it is:

I’m pretty bummed with what happened in school just a couple of hours ago. We had a surprise quiz in our Corporation Law class. The surprise quiz was about a case that was assigned to be recited today. We had to re-tell the case – facts, issue and decision.

As the cruel hand of fate would have it, I wasn’t prepared. I was already called previously to recite on a case, and since the teacher doesn’t do “rounds” (meaning, you’re unlikely to be called again until everyone else has been called to recite), I took the time to study my other subjects (boo to excuses! hehe). So, I did what I could, which was basically nothing – it’s near impossible to try to guess a story. It just sucked becau ase quizzes and recitations make up 50% of one’s final grade, so one can just imagine the stress of seeing a quiz go down the drain (especially if the quizzes happen almost next to never) and the dread of possibly failing the subject.

Anyway, what bothered me even more was the reaction of some people when I told them what happened.

The immediate reaction was, “why didn’t you cheat?” or “dapat you cheated na lang, ang dami namang nagcheat eh.”

Sorry, but, wtf?

Has cheating become such a norm that it has become the first option people turn to when they’re backed to a corner? That people actually forget that cheating should NEVER be an option because it’s a fundamental wrong?

Sadly, yes. And again, wtf?

What ever happened to morals, the use of creativity and imagination in finding a solution, the quiet pride that comes to doing the honest thing, or the humble acceptance that one simply wasn’t prepared?

And to cheat for what? For grades?
Sure, they’re important.
Sure, we all want to do well.
Sure, we’re pressured.
Sure, some can argue that our future lies in numbers in a transcript. I’m admitting all that.

But have grades become THAT important that morals and honesty are sacrificed? Is our self-worth pegged to that? What will keep us honest in the future, when now, we sacrifice honesty for a few points in the QPI? What else will we sacrifice when faced with bigger temptations or more lucrative incentives in the future?

It just sucks because we ARE the future leaders of the country – in the government, our own firms, businesses, corporations, or simply our families. What we do now – everything we do now – affects and reflects how we’re going to be in the future. That’s just how life is, that’s just how humans are – creatures of habit.

If we start compromising our morals and integrity now, then it’ll be easier for us to do so in the future. Hello, public corruption. Hello, private corruption. Hello, cheating on taxes. Hello, cheating on our family. Hello, moral depravity.

Let’s start now what we had to start a long time ago, and which, gladly, some have been doing ever since – let’s not cheat.
Even when it’s hard not to.
Even when it’s the easy way out.
Even when everyone’s doing it.
Even when it seems like the only option.
Because it’s not the only option. (No, it’s not better to cheat than to repeat, despite what people say.)

Let’s do the right thing.
It’s hard, yes, but that’s the pressure we have to deal with. That’s the pressure we have to deal with because basic honesty is what the country needs right now to improve.

And correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t we all want a better country?

Ok, this isn’t a jab at anyone, I just had to get these off my chest.

(Author’s Note: Had a short chat online with Mickey. Asked me to credit this to www.onetama.com)

Bro, once you graduate I’ll be more than willing to help you find clients. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this matter. I personally felt blessed by it. Cheers!

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