Cheating is bad, I guess everyone agrees with that. However, cheating is still a part of our lives, even if we openly state that the practice itself is not good. How come? I think I have an answer.

Note: although the article is about cheating in the academic environment, its ideas may apply to other flavours of cheating, including cheating in a relationship.

Follow up:

Let's analyze an example - a student, who is not necessarily a genius with an average of 11 points (out of the 10 possible), but one with a genuine will to learn. I emphasize the fact that what matters most is one's willingness to self-improve and to do things right. This student attends classes regularly, reads the suggested literature every now and then (on special occasions they may even go to the library :-), tries to understand the ideas explained by the teacher, etc.

Do you think that such a student is capable of cheating during an exam? Yes, that's possible, even though the motives are different from the motives of a "typical outsider who only came to a university because they believed money can buy education".

The outsider cheats because:

• this is their standard modus operandi;
• it has never occurred to them that learning can be fun (this is possibly a side-effect of an unhappy childhood, their parents used to make them read books as a form of punishment);
• they need the grade, not the knowledge;
• if they get caught, they'll just "throw more money at the problem" (notes: * usually they don't get caught because they're good at it. * anyway, everyone knows they cheat);

The good student cheats because... think about it before you continue reading. Remember about the reasons that made you cheat, write them down, post them in a comment if you feel like doing so.

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