It comes in many forms. Most of the times, it is disguised as a form of good act. Deception is its alter persona.
All of us may have come across cheating at least once or twice in our lives. The question is, who are we in the scene? The cheater or the victim? Let's be honest, though. We have become both.
I once again called my friend, Merriam, on what she thinks about Cheating. Let me share to you one of the meanings she told me:
"..to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud."
What is that valuable something? Let us make this simple. Everything that has value to the owner, it is valuable. Whether it is, for instance, a ring that is not important to others, it is valuable to its owner. Even it is a piece of writing kept in someone's drafts, it has to have some value to that person who owns it.
Deceit. Fraud. My, what blood-boiling words. Who wants to be deceived? It makes us feel like we made a fool of ourselves. It is a matter of how big of a failure our judgement is, when we realized we've been fooled. It is a miserable feeling. It incites anger easily.
My Own Experience: "It is so Unfair!"
I haven't experienced major levels of being cheated on, but there is this one portion of my childhood that I could never forget, even though I can say I have moved on from it. Maybe I am really that person who forgives but not forgets.
On our sixth grade, there is this one classmate of mine. Let's say she's Karen. Karen knew I was a really timid girl back then. Whenever our group was assigned to be classroom cleaners (we were groupmates, by the way), she would always find a way to get out of the room as unnoticeable as possible. I always saw it, though. Whenever we would have eye contact, she would just give me a smile of mischief. I did not say anything.
Karen would also regularly "borrow" my notebooks whenever we had an assignment. I would just be surprised when I hear my own paragraphs constructed, being recited by her to the teacher. I just let all of those shit go.
Came the time we were to graduate from primary school. The honor students were being announced. Karen was on the list. I was not. I am not freakin' included on the list. Something sparked in me, for the first time. It was anger.
At the age of eleven, I was introduced to this feeling called 'Unfair'. Karen just played and did not study well! How she was on the honor roll, and I was not? She just sucked off my stupid self and she got the benefit she does not deserve. My other classmates had noticed it, too. They were really shocked I was not on the list, and why is that girl there. Somehow, they were aware.
I really forced myself to not really make it a big deal. Being on the list, my dear readers, it is not my goal. I just wanted to enjoy school life back then. So it is not being excluded from the top students that affected me. It is the fact that a person who just copied from me is there. Though I tried to hide it, I could not stop my tears. I was filled with silent resentment. Looking back at it, poor me, who had experienced that heartbreak at a young age. I have kept this story to myself, well, until now, because I don't want to appear as a jealous person. Feels good to finally share this, by the way.
My Own Cheating Instances
Out of all unintentional, or maybe forgotten cheat slips I did (LOL), the most memorable ones are those related to school, too. Okay, so let's be real, buddy. Who did not cheat even once at school, right? We had our own moments where we did not realize what we did back then are cheating already. I mean, look at me. I can't forget that one instance I experienced it, but I still did it somehow, just in a different way.
On highschool, there were rare instances I did not go to school and lied to my parents about the reason, when I was just feeling lazy to go to the school that time. I also remember moments of our Physical Fitness class on college where I would tell the professor that I already did thirty sit ups when I just did twenty in reality. Oops, I am sorry for laughing at my mischief back then. Those brief moments made my student life more fun and exciting back then.
However, I am quite happy to say I have not involved myself in some major cheating activities, like alternating my test scores, nor having a cheat sheet on exams. I am too much of an anxiety-filled persons to commit to such risky deeds. Moreover, these are very wrong. I know I would not enjoy my high grades born out of fraud.
I also remember times I copied answers from my Math geek friend back when we took a long quiz on Trigonometry in our summer class. It was such a funny day. The instructor really did not seem to care much on that day, (it was just a summer class, anyway) that my friend just almost deliberately passed me her answer sheet. Lol! I can't hide my laughter now. Well, almost. I still had a good look of the answers, though.
Okay, I was not supposed to tell that story, but I don't want to lie and appear as as Ms. Perfect, no cheat girl. Forgive me for this, my alibi would be, that friend of mine did not really care about me copying, anyway. We wanted to help each other pass. End of story.
Cheating is Really Wrong, Though.
I said this because I know we will never run out if reasons as to why we chose to cheat even we had the chance to not.
"I can't afford to not pass that exam, or else, I would have to repeat again. Faking documents is the only way I could make a living for my sick grandma. No company wants to accept me, so I resorted to scamming people."
Nothing can be a valid reason to cheat. I liked this idea by @Pantera about cheating. He is right when he said "Cheating is a weakness." I never kept this sentence out of my mind since then. Only weak people cheat. They leech out of others skills and make those as their own. Where are their brains that they felt the need to plagiarize works just so they can earn? Where are their sense of humanity that they have gotten used to living off of others misfortunes by scamming here and there? What happened to their innately compassionate hearts that they chose to be corrupt officials that stole the people's taxes? I wonder.
That's why they are weak. They could not live unless they cheat and take advantage of others innocence and trust. If you are a cheater (yes, "ARE" because maybe you are still doing it presently), read on. The following words will be sweet. If you are not a cheater though, keep reading as well. And add more thoughts if you want.
Karma works, dummies. Maybe you are enjoying the 'benefits' of your cheating systems, but a time may come where a price will be paid. You may not be the one to experience it, but maybe your lived ones, or the generations next to you. Beware, karma is really a b*tch. It never sleeps.
Cheating my bring good results, but can't guarantee the perpetrator happiness. Or maybe you are happy cheating? Wow, that's a different level of audacity, I am impressed. Even you can achieve what you wanted, (like earning a lot by publishing plagiarized articles, for example) there has to be some feeling of emptiness because you are well aware it is not a product of your hardwork. You are reaping the benefits of others' efforts. I mean, just knowing this feels horrible enough.
This has been too long. I even thought of writing an open letter to cheaters out there, and to the victims as well, but I will just keep them to myself tonight. There maybe some frauds out there who have died not even being able to correct their ways. I feel sad for them.
While we still have the chance, let us gradually turn from our deceitful ways, even from the smallest of things, from ditching to pay your fare to the driver every once in a while, or not reporting to work when you are assigned to lead the morning assembly, or just adding one more cup of rice to your set diet that you're supposed to follow.
If we'd learn to abandon cheating, it would be helpful not just to others but to ourselves as well. Remember, every other person out there is equal to you. You know the golden rule. Don't do to others what you don't want them to do unto you.
Yes, you may not be punished now for your misdeeds. You are free. But as Vincenzo Cassano once said,
"Freedom comes with a price."
I apologize if ever this became too lengthy. I hope I did not bore you much. This is my entry to the sixth writing prompt of Ms. Jonica, which is about "Cheating". Feel free to join this and mention me, too if you want. I would love to also see them. Don't forget the important rules, though:
You can participate too! Just follow these rules:
Write anything about darkness.
Write 100% original content.
Write at least 600 words
Tag @JonicaBradley
Have fun!
❄️ Read Next:
❄️ My Previous Prompt Entries
One: My Equation of Freedom
Fourth: Is There Any Question?
Five: Some Dark Stuff Here.
(I don't have one for the third prompt yet. It is about Similarities, by the way.)
❄️ Recommended Reads for Today
A romance with a fraudster, can you believe this? by @Fexonice1
Cheating is Your Weakness by Pantera (mentioned above)
Until next time!
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To God be all the glory.
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Lying is also a product of cheating. I remember those physical exercises. LOL. I am too lazy that I would also tell our professor that I did everything that was listed on the board but honestly I only did half of it. LOL.
When you mentioned about cheating the test scores or answers, I remember there were some instances when we were in elementary that if it was a multiple choice, my seatmate would ask me to alter her answer just so she can get an almost perfect score. I know that it is unfair but I did it because it is hard to have an enemy in school. That is why there are still some people who are afraid to stand up for what is right. I am guilty of that sometimes. I cannot stand for what is right because sometimes there are consequences to it. 😔