Of Lies and Deceit

I have been pondering what is the toughest challenge a man faces in this extreme crazy globalized environment. I guess it is to live up to the expectation of being god’s greatest glory i.e. being human.

In an increasingly competitive tough globalized world, our identity among our peers, friends or families is overwhelmingly defined by our economic success. No one has time for aesthetics. It is instant gratification and the amount of materialistic wealth that we can garner is all that matters.

Sadly, it is this darkening of our soul has made today’s simple common man (including yours truly) susceptible to lies and deceit as we have a convenient rational argument most everybody cheats or lies some time or the other.

I went through a wave of moral dilemma whether to cheat or not while attending a competitive examination. I kinda wondered whether it is fine to make an honest attempt and fail or make a dishonest attempt and succeed. On one hand, success attained by cheating gives no satisfaction while on the other hand a well deserved failure gives no satisfaction either.

Again I thought, cheating in one little test isn’t such a big deal. It does not hurt anyone and I am quite sure many other candidates are using unethical means and it is quite justified I try to out maneuver them using all and every means. But then I wondered, if I was rationalizing my lazy approach towards preparing for the exam.

Still in the big bad crazy world, people only care about success and not principles. Then again, that’s why the world is such an unhappy mess. What a dilemma. To do or not to do remained the eternal question……………..

Alas my painful ordeal came to an abrupt halt when I realized the exam time has gone past and I haven’t attempted any question. But on the brighter side my moral compass stayed intact and I floated on higher ground as I rationalized my escape from the ordeal with this lovely quote “The only way you will never be criticized is if you do nothing, say nothing or have nothing.” But my momentary bliss went downhill when a great modern thinker has added to the quote “you will end up being a big nothing.”